$9m lobbying deal: SANs, bishop urge probe

Senior Advocates and Christian clerics have called on the National Assembly to probe the alleged $9m contract awarded by the Federal Government to a United States lobbying firm.

The call followed a Tuesday report that the Federal Government engaged a US-based public affairs and lobbying firm, DCI Group, to present its position on the protection of Christians in Nigeria to the United States government.

Documents filed with the US Department of Justice showed that a Kaduna-based law firm, Aster Legal, retained DCI Group on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, under an agreement reportedly valued at $9m and signed on December 17, 2025.

Reacting, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, said the alleged expenditure, if true, raised serious constitutional and moral concerns, stressing that such a huge sum could not be spent without legislative approval.

He urged the National Assembly to investigate whether the deal was captured in the budget and, if not, take appropriate action on the matter.

Adegboruwa noted that the money would be better deployed to strengthen security operations rather than on international lobbying.

“I am calling on the National Assembly, which has the prerogative to approve Nigeria’s expenditure, to investigate this and confirm whether it was part of the money that was approved in the budget. And if not, appropriate sanctions should be meted out and the executive called to order in that regard.

“The truth and facts about terrorism, banditry and genocide going on in Nigeria cannot be denied. People are being kidnapped, violence and robbery are happening every day. It is quite unfortunate that the government would want to live on falsehood if that is true, and this does not speak well for us as a nation.”

Another SAN, Victor Okpara, described the reported contract as inappropriate at a time of widespread insecurity and economic hardship.

He said the focus of government should be on tackling killings and kidnappings across the country, adding that lobbying foreign governments could create the impression that the security situation was under control when it was not.

“The insecurity precedes this government, so it is not a Tinubu or APC problem, and neither is it a PDP problem. It is a problem that has been left to fester for long because those in authority did not take decisive action.

“When you lobby, it means that things are okay. It then means those who want to assist you will not be able to assist you. Those who want to give intelligence information or military equipment in the form of aid may not give it to you. It is the duty of the National Assembly and Nigerians to hold the government accountable. There is no need to lobby anybody when there are killings.”

Similarly, the International Secretary of the Ecumenical Synods of Bishops, Archbishops, Apostles and Senior Clergy, London, Archbishop Osazee William, said the alleged deal should be thoroughly probed by the National Assembly.

He stated that if the legislature did not approve the expenditure, it would amount to a serious breach of due process, adding that the funds could have been better used to address insecurity and other pressing national challenges.

“You said there was no genocide, then what is the purpose of the payment? You don’t need to lobby anybody. You only need to put the facts down to ensure that what was said before is no longer what it is. Instead, you are wasting resources and taxing the people more,” he said.(Punch)