New Report Alleges $10 Million Lobbying Effort to Glaze Over Persecution of Christians in Nigeria
The text claims that International Christian Concern reported Nigeria’s government allegedly created a $10 million lobbying effort in the United states to reduce scrutiny of anti-Christian persecution. It says U.S. officials, including parts of the Trump governance, have raised concerns about Islamic violence against Christian communities in northern and central Nigeria and even conducted airstrikes against militants.
According to the report, President Bola Tinubu defended the government’s actions to Western leaders. The text further alleges that a former White House adviser, Matt Mowers (linked to a foreign-agent registration and described as leading influence work for Nigeria), helped run the campaign thru connections involving firms and individuals tied to Nigeria’s security and paramilitary infrastructure.It also claims other contractors were paid to produce messaging emphasizing Nigeria’s stance on persecution.
it argues the stakes are high, citing large numbers of churches destroyed and deaths attributed to religious violence in Nigeria as 2009, including a substantial share of Christian victims.
A new report from International Christian Concern asserted that the Nigerian government formed a $10 million lobbying effort in the United States to downplay anti-Christian persecution in the African nation.
Trump administration officials have increasingly voiced concern over Islamic violence toward Christian villagers in the northern and central portions of the country — even launching airstrikes against Islamic militants at the end of last year.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who is a Muslim, has defended his government’s efforts to address the persecution to Western leaders.
But the report from International Christian Concern fellow Justin Joseph said the Tinubu government “has created a $10 million lobbying front to disenfranchise the human rights accountability of the United States.”
The lobbying effort seeks to “whitewash the current ethno-religious genocide of the Nigerian Christians.”
Joseph wrote that Matt Mowers — a former senior White House adviser who worked with the U.S. State Department — is a “a lead operator of the influence campaign on behalf of Nigeria.”
When I visited Nigeria, the government responded swiftly to quell a coup in Benin.
Nigeria’s willingness to step in to stop a violent attack in another country, while they stand by as their own Christian citizens are brutalized makes these absolutely horrific scenes unfolding in… https://t.co/I7Bg6ceN9Z
— Rep. Riley M. Moore (@RepRileyMoore) May 7, 2026
Valcour LLC, Mowers’ firm, was registered as a foreign agent at the end of 2025 — two months after the Trump administration designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern.”
“This registration is an estimated attempt to reverse Republican votes on religious freedom matters with the help of his Trump-era qualifications,” Mowers contended.
“Ironically, an official who had based his political career on conservative principles is now defending a regime that is responsible for the massacre of Christians.”
Joseph also wrote that “the financial pipeline that sustains these lobbying operations is no longer based on open business dealings but rather on Nigeria’s paramilitary and security infrastructure.”
Public records reveal that Mowers is remunerated by Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited — which is owned by Matthew Tonlagha, the vice chairman of a firm operated by Oweizidei Ekpemupolo, an “ex-militant leader.”
Other entities, such as DCI Group AZ, have been paid $9 million to carry out messaging services that emphasize Nigeria’s efforts to address anti-Christian persecution.
The report from International Christian Concern highlighted the stakes of Nigerian officials failing to adequately defend Christians from Islamic violence.
There have been at least 19,500 churches destroyed since 2009, with 400 destroyed in the last 16 months alone.
Even worse, more than 190,000 Nigerians have been killed for their religion since 2009 — and at least 128,000 of them were Christians.
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