United States of America Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan (L) and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama stands for both country’s national anthem during the Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission meeting in Abuja, on November 20, 2017. The US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan led interagency US delegation to a meeting of Nigeria and the United States Bi-National Commission in Abuja. / AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI
US Stakes $45.5 million to Refloat Nigerian Economy
The United States, US, has linked the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria to the country’s spluttering economy; and has promised to assist the country with a new tranche of $45.5 million.
US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan made the promise today in the Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission meeting in Abuja.
Sullivan — the most senior Trump administration official to visit Nigeria this year — said the US was “committed to helping the Nigerian people provide their own security” but said military might alone was not enough.
“Nigeria’s success… requires improvements to the economy and governance off the battlefield as well,” he said at a meeting of US and Nigerian officials.
As part of that, he pledged an additional $45.5 million through USAID to support “stabilisation and early recovery efforts” to help those affected by the violence to recover”, said The Guardian.
The US also called for “transparent and credible” inquiries into violations, stating that prosecutions were needed to help heal wounds in the battle-scarred region.
“This is essential to deepening the people’s trust of the government, strengthening security efforts in the northeast and improving the United States’ ability to partner with Nigeria,” he said on a visit to Abuja.
Nigerian troops have been repeatedly accused of abuses against Boko Haram suspects and civilians, including arbitrary arrest, torture and extra-judicial killings.
The military has consistently denied the claims but concern about the army’s record has limited direct foreign involvement in the fight-back against the jihadists.
A $593-million (503-million-euro) deal agreed under the Obama administration to sell Nigeria 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground attack aircraft was announced in May 2016.
But it was halted after at least 112 people displaced by the conflict in northeast Nigeria were killed in January this year in a botched air strike against the Islamist militants.
The State Department finally approved the sale in August.
US troops have been providing help to Nigerian and regional forces fighting Boko Haram, running an unmanned surveillance drone operation from a base in northern Cameroon.
Washington and other Western powers have also provided training for Nigerian troops.
At least 20,000 people have been killed and more than 2.6 million made homeless since 2009, while chronic food shortages have left hundreds of thousands starving.
Cases against hundreds of Boko Haram suspects opened in October but the prosecutions are being held behind closed doors at a military facility, with press and public barred, the paper reported.