US Congressman Sets Two Tough Conditions for Military Partnership with Nigeria

|By Chinwendu Nwani

US Congressman Riley M. Moore has declared that the United States will not enter any military partnership with Nigeria unless the Federal Government meets two major conditions aimed at addressing the country’s growing security crisis.

Moore, speaking during an interview with Fox News, demanded the release of Sunday Jackson, a young man sentenced to death for killing a Fulani herdsman — an act he insists was self-defence. He stressed that Jackson’s freedom remains a non-negotiable prerequisite for any defence collaboration.

The Republican lawmaker also pressed Nigeria to unveil a credible plan to disarm armed Fulani herdsmen, whom he blamed for violent attacks across the Middle Belt. According to him, restoring security in the region requires decisive government action against the militias destabilising rural communities.

Moore said Nigerian officials had shown interest in partnering with the US to curb persistent killings but emphasised that “there are a lot of things they need to do.”

“We made some progress… but one of the first steps is releasing Sunday Jackson,” he stated. “Another is working with us on a plan to disarm the radical Fulani militants in the Middle Belt.”

His comments come as Nigeria continues to battle kidnapping, banditry, and communal violence across several states.