December 1, 2014 – The Federal Government (FG) today terminated ongoing contract it entered with the United States of America (USA) to train the Nigerian Army.
In a statement the Nigerian government expressed regrets that it has to terminate the contract following refusal by the American Government to sell top of the range cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria.
The refusal of America to sell some weapons to Nigeria to fight the insurgents has drawn wide condemnation from Nigerians with the Americans anchoring its refusal on perceived poor human rights records of Nigerian soldiers tackling insurgents in the North-east.
While terminating the contract with the US, the FG also said it has turned to Russia for supply of arms and ammunition.
We gathered that the FG is currently into talks with Russia on a multi-billion Dollars arms deal to help Nigeria defeat the insurgents following the decision of the Russian government to leverage in other areas outside Europe.
We learnt that Nigeria has approached a Russian bank for facilites to the tune of $1 billion to purchase arms to prosecute the war. President Jonathan will be in Russia before the year runs out to finalise the deal with the Russian Government.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Professor Ade Adefuye had few weeks ago condemned the US government for failing to accede to Nigeria’s request to purchase weapons to deal a mortal blow to the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram which has killed over 15,000 Nigerians since the beginning of the insurgents.
Adefuye who was addressing the US Council on Foreign Relations, was angry that Boko Haram is expanding in Nigeria despite the presence of America in Nigeria and with all its sophisticated technology even after admitting that sharing of military intelligence between the two nations has improved.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of the Council on Foreign Relations, I am sad to inform you that the Nigerian leadership: Military and Political, and even the general populace, are not satisfied with the scope, nature and content of the United States’ support for us in our struggle against terrorists.
“We find it difficult to understand how and why in spite of the U.S. presence in Nigeria with their sophisticated military technology. Boko Haram should be expanding and becoming more deadly. At first, we had problems with the manner in which intelligence was being shared. The U.S. Government claims that the problem has been addressed, but it is still there.
“The U.S. Government has up till today refused to grant Nigeria’s request to purchase lethal equipment that would have brought down the terrorists within a short time on the basis of the allegations that Nigeria’s defence forces have been violating human rights of Boko Haram suspects when captured or arrested. This is based largely on reports submitted by human rights groups and sections of the Nigerian media that have sympathy for the opposition parties and are prepared to use whatever means possible to embarrass the government of President Goodluck Jonathan”, he said adding that America claims that Leahy law forbids the sale of lethal equipment to governments that violate human rights.
Adefuye argued that the allegations of human rights violation cannot be substantiated by facts.
According to him, Nigeria declared a state of emergency in the three Boko Haram affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe but that democratic structures were left in place.
“The parliament, judiciary, and the civilian executives continue to function as in normal times. Nigeria did not establish an extra judicial body to try Boko Haram suspects. All those who were arrested on suspicion of collusion with Boko Haram are being tried in the civilian courts; some of them are currently out on bail.
“ I say with all sense of responsibility that allegations of human right violation are based on rumours, hear-says and exaggerated accounts of clashes between the Nigerian forces and Boko Haram fighters. There was a case of an incident in Baga in 2013 when human rights groups and the opposition press said that, based on pictures taken from satellite, over one thousand six hundred houses were destroyed in a village that has less than 600 houses.
