
The
United States Government has reportedly withdrawn military assistance to
Nigeria citing various human rights violations by Nigerian security forces;
particularly the military, which is presently embroiled in a controversy over
the loss of civilian lives and destruction of property in Baga town, Borno
State during a clash with members of the Boko Haram sect.
According to a report by THE WILL, the US Government’s stance was made known in a private
meeting in Abuja Thursday, by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr.
Terence P. McCulley with about ten members of the human rights community in
Nigeria.
He said the move was in accordance with an
existing law that bars the United States from offering military assistance to
any government that violates basic rights of citizens.
He
said the Obama-led administration has therefore ceased to assist Nigeria
militarily in obedience to the law.
The US supports the Nigerian military and security
agencies with capacity building, intelligence and weapons.
Some of the activists at the meeting include Mr.
Clement Nwankwo, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko of the Human Rights Writers’ Association
of Nigeria; Kole Shettima of the MacArthur Foundation and Auwal Rafsanjani, an
Executive Director at Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) among
others.
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