The United States hit back Wednesday at
allegations by the Nigerian ambassador of failing
to help fight Boko Haram militants, saying there
had been “a great deal” of US aid to his country.
In the past six months since the Islamic militants
snatched some 200 schoolgirls in northern
Nigeria, Washington has shared intelligence with
the Nigerian army, begun training a new battalion
and held high-level talks on the threat of Boko
Haram, a US official said.
In a speech made public Tuesday, ambassador
Adebowale Adefuye appeared to have taken US
officials by surprise when he launched into a
tirade against the US administration.
Nigerian leaders were “not satisfied with the
scope, nature and content of the United States’
support for us in our struggle against terrorists,”
he said.
He accused Washington of not providing the
“lethal” weapons needed to deliver “a killer
punch” to the militants.
But State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki
shot back that the US had “provided and
approved sales of military equipment to its armed
forces.”
“These decisions are made, of course, after
careful scrutiny to ensure they conform with
United States law.”
But she acknowledged the US had refused to
transfer some Cobra helicopters due to concerns
about the Nigerian army’s ability to use them.
There were also “ongoing concerns about the
Nigerian military’s protection of civilians when
conducting military operations,” Psaki said, adding
these had been discussed with the Nigerian
authorities.
Adefuye told members of the Council on Foreign
Relations on Monday that allegations of human
rights abuses by the military were “rumors,
hearsays and exaggerated accounts” put about by
rivals of President Goodluck Jonathan and rights
groups.
But Psaki stressed the US would not raise such
concerns “if we didn’t feel and others didn’t feel
that they were warranted.”
Washington was ready to help Nigeria train and
improve the effectiveness of its military, Psaki
added, urging the government to investigate
allegations of abuses.

2cato:
They will always deny it just as APC will always deny been the sponsors of their arm soldiers BH.