United States Senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian officials of choosing a public relations campaign over dealing with international concerns about the alleged persecution of Christians and religious freedom in the country.
Cruz made the statement on Wednesday in a post shared through his verified X (formerly Twitter) account while reacting to recent action taken by the U.S. Congress on Nigeria.
“Nigerian officials have created an environment that facilitates mass violence against Christians and religious minorities by imposing blasphemy and Sharia laws and looking the other way at jihadist atrocities,” the Republican senator wrote.
“The U.S. government knows the Nigerian officials responsible for these policies. I have been pushing my bill to sanction them, and President Trump has even ordered military action.”
Cruz said Nigerian authorities focused on a communications campaign instead of addressing the issues raised by the United States.
“Instead of responding to American concerns, Nigerian officials waged a public relations campaign against critics,” he wrote.
“They were confident in that campaign and in their ability to continue the status quo, and I am heartened that the House has just definitively proven them wrong,” he added.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly denied claims that it supports or allows religious persecution.
It was earlier reported that the Federal Government signed a $9 million contract with a U.S. lobbying firm to improve Nigeria’s engagement with American officials over allegations of attacks on Christian communities.
Records from the Federal Government’s spending tracker, GovSpend, also showed the Presidency spent N500 million in 2025 on what it called an emergency strategic communications campaign.
The payment record said the money was released to the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communications for “emergency Strategic Communications and Global Media Engagement to counter coordinated Western propaganda against FGN on alleged Christian persecution.”
The spending was part of the government’s wider response to rising international criticism over insecurity and claims of religious persecution.
Documents filed under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act showed DCI Group was hired through Aster Legal on behalf of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. Under the deal, the firm would present Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christian communities and maintain U.S. backing against jihadist groups and other threats in West Africa. The contract includes monthly payments of $750,000 and an initial six-month retainer worth $4.5 million.
Nigeria continues to face growing international attention over attacks by insurgents, bandits and other armed groups. Cruz remains one of the strongest voices in the U.S. Congress calling for tougher measures against Nigerian officials over alleged religious freedom violations.
