United States lawmakers are holding down a proposed sale of attack helicopters to Nigeria amid mounting concerns about the Muhammadu Buhari regime’s human rights record as it grapples with multiple security crises.

US lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have reportedly delayed clearing a proposed sale of 12 AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters and accompanying defence systems to the Nigerian military.

The deal is worth $875 million, according to US officials and congressional aides familiar with the matter.

In addition to the helicopters, the proposed sale included 28 helicopter engines produced by GE Aviation, 14 military-grade aircraft navigation systems made by Honeywell, and 2,000 advanced precision kill weapon systems—laser-guided rocket munitions, according to information sent by the State Department to Congress and reviewed by Foreign Policy magazine.

A report by Foreign Policy on Tuesday said the behind-the-scenes controversy over the proposed arms sale illustrates a broader debate among Washington policymakers over how to balance national security with human rights objectives.

The hold on the sale also showcases how powerful US lawmakers want to push the Biden administration to rethink US relations with Nigeria amid overarching concerns that Buhari is drifting toward authoritarianism as his government is besieged by multiple security challenges, including the Boko Haram insurgency.

But Western governments and international human rights organisations have ramped up their criticisms of the Buhari regime, particularly in the wake of its ban on Twitter, systemic corruption issues, and the Nigerian military’s role in deadly crackdowns on #EndSARS protesters last October.

Menendez, called for a “fundamental rethink of the framework of our overall engagement” with Nigeria during a Senate hearing with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in June.

Both Menendez and Sen. Jim Risch, a top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have placed a hold on the proposed arms sale, according to multiple US officials and congressional aides familiar with the matter, who spoke to Foreign Policy on condition of anonymity.

The details on the proposed sale were first sent by the US State Department to Congress in January before then-former Vice President Joe Biden was inaugurated as president, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Nigeria has just received six out of the 12 Tucano jet fighters purchased from the US government.

Some experts said the United States should hit the pause button on major defence sales until it makes a broader assessment of the extent to which corruption and mismanagement hobble the Nigerian military and whether the military is doing enough to minimize civilian casualties in its campaign against Boko Haram and other violent insurrectionists.

Administration officials say they are tired of regular efforts by Capitol Hill to review arms

“There doesn’t have to be a reason why we don’t provide weapons or equipment to the Nigerian military,” said Judd Devermont, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank. “But it has to be done with an assessment of how it will actually, one, change the direction of conflict in Nigeria, and, two, that they will use it consistent with our laws. In both cases, it’s either a question mark or a fail.”

“There is a culture of impunity that exists around abuses by the military,” said Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch, Anietie Ewang.

Ewang cited the Nigerian military’s killing of unarmed protesters during the massive #EndSARS demonstrations against police corruption and brutality last year as well as cases documented by human rights organizations of abuses in the military’s campaign against Boko Haram.

“I’m sure it’s a difficult situation. There are so many conflicts springing up across the country now,” Ewang said.

“The authorities, I presume, are trying to do the best they can to save lives and properties. But this must be done in accordance with human rights standards. You can’t throw one out just to be able to achieve the other.”

TheEnygma:
Make I no talk wetin dey my mind...

vedaxcool:
They would know the big difference between GEJ and PMB. We know all the SARS and lekiliess bullshit was about undermining the administration. This time they will fail to cripple our military success.

FarahAideed:


They only difference is that Buhari is a monumental failure

Freestainworld:
No body wants to associate with failure

Mikecold:
They already know buhari would way bill it to bandits, Boko Haram as usual

Buhari is a monumental terrorist known globally

BafanaBafana:
If the left doesn't work, we use the right. If US doesn't sell, Russia dey, China dey, Iran sef dey.
Buhari no be Jonathan o. No time to look face

vedaxcool:
[s][/s]


under GEJ he marketed the Christian bigotry tropes of Muslims trying to slaughter all Christians. His fellow Christians in the US just ignored him and sold him not a single weapon.

PMB on the otherhand has despite all the plots and conspiracy against him, secure weapons from the US and other powers without resorting to giving pastor bling bling money to smuggle weapons. What has been the result of all his efforts;
Nigeria military has denied BH of all territories in Nigeria.

Eliminated the incidence of suicide bombings.

Eliminated bombing places of worship

Pressured BH to the extent it fractured into splinters resulting to the death of Shekau!

Equipped the military with 32 aircrafts and drones

Ensured the military no longer run away from BH rather confront them frontally.

Degraded BH ability to attack far beyond the war theater...

Tell which of this GEJ achieved even though we know his crumbs have blocked all objectivity from you.

BafanaBafana:

Ipob opinion is not global opinion bros. A mad man thinks normal people are mad, so do ipob terrorist think others are terrorist and they are innocent people.
See one of the terrorist leaders here, the real shekau is dead, we are still thinking of what to do with this one

Mikecold:
i am not aware that Hussein Barak Obama was a Christian

Buhari was the one conspiring to soak bamboo in blood, he was the one conspiring attack on Boko Haram as attack on the north

Boko Haram was him and he was Boko Haram

Now that he is president am yet to see anyone conspiring against him yet Boko Haram has blossomed to have "bandits" branches attacking everyday

Boko Haram now has caliphate beyond Borno and now in Niger State

Bandits are kidnapping soldiers and police which never happened under gej

Highways are now terrorists playground, this never happened under gej

Even with your pastor bling bling analogy, I would take him over the sheiks negotiating ransom deals

I would take him over the sheiks sending helipocters with arms to bandits in forests