NDMC Condemns N12bn U.S. Lobbying Deal, Describes it as Administrative Failure Amid Insecurity, Hunger

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

The Niger Delta Movement for Coalition (NDMC) has condemned the Federal Government over its alleged decision to spend N12 billion (about $9 million) on U.S.-based lobbyists, describing the move as a betrayal of Nigerians facing worsening insecurity, hunger and economic hardship.

In a press statement issued on January 15, 2026, the coalition accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of prioritising foreign image management over urgent domestic challenges. The group alleged that the government contracted U.S. firm DCI Group for $9 million, reportedly $750,000 monthly for six months, renewable to lobby the White House and Congress on Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christians.

The NDMC labelled the contract “scandalous”, “indefensible” and evidence of misplaced priorities, noting that banditry, terrorism and mass displacement continue across the country. It cited reports that at least 11 communities in Sokoto State are fleeing following “leave or submit” threats by a notorious bandit leader, Tunji Bello, while government attention remains focused abroad.

Standing in solidarity with communities in Sokoto, Plateau, Benue, Kaduna and other affected areas, the coalition demanded the immediate cancellation of the lobbying contract and the reallocation of the funds to emergency food relief, security reinforcement in the North-West and Middle Belt, and rehabilitation of collapsed infrastructure.

It also called for accountability, urging the publication of the full contract details, the officials who approved it, and an investigation by the Auditor-General and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While rejecting narratives that reduce Nigeria’s crisis to a Christian-versus-Muslim conflict, the NDMC acknowledged documented cases of mass killings, church burnings and displacement, citing reports by Open Doors, Intersociety and ACLED, which rank Nigeria among the deadliest countries for faith communities. The group insisted the response must be concrete security action, not public relations.

The coalition further criticised the deteriorating security situation — banditry in the North-West, insurgency in the North-East and separatist tensions in the South-East — calling for troop deployment, intelligence coordination and community policing instead of “press releases and lobbying pitches”.

On the economy, the NDMC said food inflation remains the biggest driver of hardship, with staple food prices rising sharply since 2020 and forcing many families to survive on one meal a day. It argued that recent economic reforms have stabilised macroeconomic figures while deepening poverty, a contradiction it said the World Bank describes as “macro-stability without welfare gains”.

Addressing the APC directly, the group warned that political slogans cannot “lobby away the blood of Nigerians”, demanding an end to wasteful spending, a national emergency plan on security and food security, and justice for displaced communities nationwide.

The statement was signed by Comrade Hon. Daniel Ezekiel Perela, National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Movement for Coalition (NDMC).