In an alleged $9 million contract, the federal government reportedly recruited a US lobbying and public relations firm to inform Washington politicians about its security initiatives and reaction to attacks against Christian communities. According to the Guardian, records submitted to the US Department of Justice reveal that the Washington-based lobbying firm DCI Group was hired to advise US authorities on Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts and how it handled claims of violence inspired by religion. The deal was signed on December 17, 2025, by Aster Legal, a Kaduna-based legal firm representing National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu, according to the article. It stated that under the contract, DCI Group is expected to outline Nigeria’s measures to protect Christian communities and to help sustain US support for the country’s campaign against jihadist groups operating across West Africa. The arrangement, according to the report, runs for an initial six-month period ending June 30, 2026, and contains an automatic extension clause unless either party terminates the agreement with 60 days’ notice. The report added that financial disclosures indicate that Nigeria has already paid $4.5 million as an advance retainer, with the full value of the contract set at $9 million. The agreement provides for a monthly fee of $750,000 to cover professional services and related expenses. The decision to engage a lobbying firm comes amid renewed attention in the United States to reports alleging killings of Christians in Nigeria. In October, President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern”, citing claims of systematic violence against Christian communities, allegations that Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected. US officials and lawmakers accused the Federal government of failing to adequately protect religious minorities. Nigerian officials counter that the country’s security crisis is driven by terrorism, banditry and organised criminal violence rather than religious persecution. In November, Trump warned that the United States could intervene militarily if violence against Christians continued, a statement that heightened diplomatic tension between the two countries.