ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. The United States (US) will soon lift ban on the restriction of military assistance imposed on the Nigeria under Leahy Law.
The Leahy Law is a US human rights law that prohibits the US Department of State and Department of Defense from providing military assistance to foreign military units that allegedly violates human rights with impunity.
US congressman, Darrel Issah, made the disclosure while fielding questions from newsmen after meeting with service chiefs and the Ministry of Defence officials in Abuja, headed by the permanent secretary, Ismaila Aliyu, on Monday.
He said the development was occasioned by the policy of the new military high command, with regards to the ongoing military operations in the country.
According to him, there were a number of things that were discussed at the meeting, but basically, need for additional technical support, including overhead surveillance was discussed, because this was important in the fight against Boko Haram.
He noted that the fact that this new regime, with the new general staff, has begun the process of ensuring that the military’s professionalism in the battlefield was made in a way that we all could be confident that the rule of law was followed.
The US congressman noted the process had begun to lift restriction under the Leahy Law, but the vast majority of the support US provided would be given, regardless of the restrictions.
Issah said the US would provide other forms of support that would not only boost the military’s capabilities, but also create the environment to rebuild devastated communities.
He said the US, through its agencies in Nigeria, would help rebuild and rehabilitate communities and victims of insurgency in the North-East.
“The US is looking, with the president and the general staff, to work to make sure that the people of Nigeria can have confidence in the professionalism of the military.
“We are looking at something that the people will rely on when the military is trying to clear insurgents and protect the civilians that are important to the new president of Nigeria, our president and it is important to the congress.
“But we are looking forward to a great difference in the relationship, a proactive relationship and one in which we can provide a greater level of support,” he said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Aliyu, said the visit was a sign of the renewed confidence in Nigeria’s military on the global scene.
He said Nigeria now enjoyed a greater level of confidence and trust in the international community and stressed that it would impact on the nation’s efforts in repositioning its economy.
“The US believes in Nigeria; it has trust and confidence in Nigeria, that is why they are here and on the issue of human rights. The US is pleased with what we have been doing in recent times to address the gaps that may have existed in the past,” he said.
He added that visit was a follow-up to Mr President’s visit to the US.
“We have said it and will continue to state that the visit was of great benefit to Nigeria, as it had rekindled the hope of the two countries,” he said.
Issah led a delegation from the US congress judicial committee to the meeting with Nigeria’s top ranking defence officials.
Meanwhile, more facts have emerged as to the reason the US failed to lift arms embargo during President Buhari’s visit.
Failure of the Nigerian delegation to the recent four-day trip of President Buhari to the US to show clear readiness to discuss policy issues and lack of preparedness to iron out vital bilateral issues have been attributed to the delay.
Diplomatic sources told to the Nigerian Tribune that the US officials were disappointed about what they described as “total lack of preparedness by the Nigerian delegation” and “poor presentation of policy needs and updates” during the visit, leading to the decision to withhold the lifting of the embargo for some time.
Nigerian President had busied the US without a team of ministers and advisers who could carry on the discussions from the point the president stopped.
A US analyst was quoted as saying that “the government of the US and that of Nigeria appear not to be on the same page on the matter of that visit,” adding that “the body language of the American president to Buhari was that he should go back, get his team together and then come for more talks.”
The source was quoted as saying “maybe we are not reading from the same script, but the overall message by Barack is that they (Nigerian delegation) should go get themselves together, then get back to the US.”
The US authorities, which sent delegations to the Nigerian leader ahead of the visit was said to be disappointed that the Nigerian leader cited without a visible economic team, despite the huge challenges Nigeria was facing in bilateral trade.
For instance, Nigeria relied largely on her oil sales to the US, but the US had since suspended oil importation from Nigeria.
US imports from Nigeria is reputed to have risen from more than $24 billion in 2005 to over $38 billion in 2008, but had since dropped to less than $4 billion last year.
It was learnt that the Americans were worried that Buhari did not raise concerns about the trade concerns during the visit.
The US was said to be particularly miffed that Buhari’s article in the Washington Post misrepresented facts about Obama when he claimed that the American president also did not name his cabinet many months after assuming office.
Buhari had said in the article: “It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the US did not cease to function in the interim.”
But American officials had countered that with facts which indicated that Obama actually hit the ground running once he was sworn in.
One official have details of Obama’s appointments following his election in 2008 as including the January 21 appointment of Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State.
The official further said of Obama’s appointments: “On February 2, 2009, he appointed Eric Holder as Attorney-General, then Ken Salazar as Secretary of Interior on January 20. Obama continued with Tom Vislack, Agriculture January 21; Ray LaHood , Transportation January 23; Stephen Chu, Energy, January 20, and Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security, January 21.”
The source said the US had planned to lift the ban on arms sales to Nigeria during the visit, but for the way Nigerians went about the visit.
