A top US lawmaker has put Nigeria on notice, declaring that Washington will be “watching very closely” as the country prepares for its 2027 elections and warning that a new bill could tie security aid to religious freedom reforms.
Congressman Riley Moore, co-sponsor of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act, made the remarks in an interview with NoireTV. He confirmed that the US is not treating the upcoming polls as a mere formality.
“We’re certainly going to be watching these results and how these elections unfold,” Moore said. “That’s something myself and the administration are going to be paying very close attention to.”
But his message went beyond election monitoring. Moore revealed that a major appropriations bill expected to pass soon contains “strong, aggressive, binding language” that could reshape US-Nigeria ties. The legislation reportedly links financial and security assistance to Nigeria’s handling of violent attacks and the persecution of Christians.
The bill, which Moore said he’s discussed with President Donald Trump, could restrict security cooperation if Nigeria fails to address the escalating crisis in parts of the country.
“That bill is likely to become a law,” Moore added. “There’s some pretty strong aggressive language in that bill that’s going to be binding as it relates to our relationship with Nigeria moving forward.”
The warning comes as Nigeria grapples with growing insecurity and international scrutiny over religious violence, setting the stage for a high-stakes 2027 election cycle that may now carry global consequences.
