Pres. Buhari Accuses U.S. Of Aiding Boko Haram

The United States isn’t exactly blameless in the continued rise of the Boko Haram terrorist sect, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

Speaking on Wednesday in Washington DC where he addressed a section of the audience at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) as part of his four-day trip to the U.S, Buhari frowned at the use of the ‘Leahy Law’ by the US government  to deny Nigeria weapons based on unsubstantiated human rights abuses by the Nigerian military.

Buhari demanded that America provides Nigeria with “far more substantial counter-terrorism assistance with minimal strings”, because the African giant has since rejigged its rules of engagement to better protect the rights of non combatants and civilians as it wages a war with the mindless terrorist sect.

Buhari said: “In our efforts at combating the activities of Boko Haram, the new Government has sought and obtained the support of not only our neighbours, but other international friends and partners.

“Regrettably, the blanket application of the Leahy Law by the United States on the grounds of unproven allegations of human rights violations levelled against our forces has denied us access to appropriate strategic weapons to prosecute the war against the insurgents.”

Continuing, Buhari said: “Our forces have remained largely impotent because they do not possess the appropriate weapons and technology which they could have had, had the so-called human rights violations not been an obstacle.

“Unwittingly, and I dare say, unintentionally, the application of the Leahy Law amendment by the U. S. Government has aided and abetted the Boko Haram terrorist group in the prosecution of its extremist ideology and hate, the indiscriminate killings and maiming of civilians, in raping of women and girls, and in their other heinous crimes.”

Consequently, the Nigerian president appealed to the Executive Arm and the US Congress to examine how the US Government can provide Nigeria with far more substantial counter-terrorism assistance with minimal strings.

source- Mobile Punch