Bill Huizenga slams Tinubu over killings
A U.S. Congressman, Bill Huizenga, has sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of “sitting back and not doing enough” in the face of rising violence and killings in Nigeria.
Speaking during a hearing of a U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa, Huizenga expressed deep frustration with how the Nigerian government is handling escalating insecurity. He said he was “outraged” that Christians, moderate Muslims, and others are being terrorised by radicalised groups, while “the Tinubu government sits back.”
Huizenga also criticised a Nigerian delegation in Washington for downplaying the crisis. He argued their narrative was misleading, refusing to acknowledge the severity and scope of the violence.
He pointed to a Christmas Eve 2023 attack in Nigeria, which reportedly killed hundreds, as evidence that the security situation is deteriorating not improving under the current government.
The Congressman also raised concerns about who is financing the violence. He admitted that the U.S. still lacks clarity on the funding sources behind groups like Boko Haram and militant herders.
Rather than military intervention, Huizenga advocated for targeted economic sanctions against those he sees as complicit in or enabling violence including individuals and organisations tied to armed groups.
He warned that Nigeria could repeat “tragedies similar to those witnessed in Rwanda and South Sudan” if action is not taken urgently.
