US approves $1bn attack helicopters, others for Nigeria as Buhari meets service chiefs

The United States State Department has cleared the sale of 12 AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria worth nearly $1bn, apparently after US lawmakers lifted objections over human rights concerns.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Thursday announced the sale of the helicopters and related defence systems to the Nigerian military.

The package includes $25m for human rights-related training, according to YahooNews.

The sale includes the Bell-made Cobras; 28 General Electric-made T700-401C engines; 2,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems used to convert unguided missiles into precision-guided missiles; and night vision, targeting and navigation systems.

The case highlights the Biden administration’s attempts to balance human rights concerns in the arms sale process.

Foreign Policy had reported in July that the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee delayed the sale amid concerns Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was drifting toward authoritarianism. The country is facing multiple security challenges, including terrorism.

“Nigeria requires a fundamental rethink of the framework of our overall engagement,” committee Chairman Bob Menendez told Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the diplomat’s testimony before the panel last year.

Menendez also tweeted that “the Nigerian government must get serious about security” after the militant group Boko Haram kidnapped more than 300 schoolboys in December 2020. The Nigerian government also ran afoul of the New Jersey Democrat in 2019 after arresting one of his constituents, Nigerian-American journalist Omoyele Sowore.

According to the announcement, $25m in the package will be dedicated to “institutional and technical assistance” to Nigeria’s military to continue its Air-to-Ground Integration program, which concerns targeting processes that are consistent with international humanitarian law and the laws of armed conflict.

“The proposed sale will better equip Nigeria to contribute to shared security objectives, promote regional stability and build interoperability with the U.S. and other Western partners,” the announcement read.

“This sale will be a major contribution to US and Nigerian security goals,” it added

The development appears to open a new chapter in US-Nigeria relations.

The United States had last May said there was no plan to relocate its Africa Command from its current base in Germany to Nigeria or any other part of Africa despite the worsening state of insecurity in the region.

The US gave the response barely two weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari appealed to the US government to consider relocating AFRICOM to Africa to assist Nigeria and other adjoining countries to combat worsening terrorism, banditry and other security crises.

The President made the plea in a virtual meeting with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on April 27, 2021

Germany-based Africa Command (AFRICOM) is the US military headquarters that oversees its operations in Africa.

Buhari’s request followed a series of recent military casualties in Nigeria’s decade-long fight against Boko Haram terrorists, fresh expansion of the insurgents’ bases to Niger and Nasarawa States, and heavy waves of abductions and killings by bandits in the North.

Buhari had said, “In this connection, and considering the growing security challenges in West and Central Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Lake Chad region and the Sahel, weighing heavily on Africa, it underscores the need for the United States to consider relocating AFRICOM headquarters from Stuttgart, Germany to Africa and near the Theatre of Operation.”

However, the US government later ruled out any plan to relocate AFRICOM from its current base in Germany to Nigeria or any part of Africa.

According to the United States Department of Defence’ Pentagon, previous studies have shown that the cost of relocating AFRICOM from Germany to Africa is very huge.

Meanwhile, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), will on Tuesday meet the service chiefs over the rising spate of insecurity in the country.

The Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, disclosed this on Thursday, while briefing journalists after the Council of State meeting in Abuja.

According to the governor, the proposed meeting is sequel to the recommendations by the council over the security challenge in the country.

But the Peoples Democratic Party described the All Progressives Congress as a failure over its inability to tackle the insecurity rocking the nation, stressing that Nigerians are waiting eagerly for 2023 to vote them out of power.

The party accused the government of always passing the buck, describing it as incompetent.

Recall that the House of Representatives had also condemned the rising insecurity in the country, especially the recent killings in Benue, Taraba and Plateau states.

The lawmakers, who stated this at the plenary on Wednesday, demanded the removal of the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.) and the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.).

The legislators also alleged that security agents were aiding bandits and other criminals, adding that huge security funds were not being justified.

The Northern Elders’ Forum had also on Tuesday called for the resignation of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for the killings as well as the attack on a train in Kaduna State last month.

The Presidency, however, ruled out the resignation of the President, blaming past administrations for the insecurity in the country.

The National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba in his reaction on Thursday, knocked the Federal Government for lacking a solution to the killings, kidnapping and violence in parts of the country.

According to him, Nigerians were tired of excuses and apologies from the Buhari regime for its inability to contain the bloody attacks on the citizens.

He said, “This government would be coming every day to apologise to Nigerians to say ‘we’re sorry for what we’ve done.’ But this is a government that is arrogant in failure. They’ve failed and they are still arrogant about it. They should bury their head in shame.

“So, because insecurity predates the APC government, does it mean because they are incompetent and rudderless and completely clueless about the issues, we should accept it? I mean, these are lame excuses, which we’re used to.

“But Nigerians know better now. Nigerians are wiser, no lies, no stunts that are being dished out by the APC government can avail it any attention from the Nigerian people.”

Speaking in the same vein, some Northern groups, including the Middle Belt Forum, the Christian Association of Nigeria in 19 Northern States and Abuja, advised the Federal Government to stop blaming past administrations for the rising insecurity in the country.

The organisations in interviews said the Buhari regime had failed in all areas.

The National President of the MBF, Dr Bitrus Pogu, lashed out at the Presidency for kicking against the call for Buhari’s resignation.

Pogu said, “Usually, people who seek power do so by promising to solve identified social ills and make life better for the people which they seek to govern. Buhari did so while campaigning in 2015 but can he point to any campaign promise he has fulfilled that has made the life of Nigerians better after seven years as president

“But before this government led by Buhari leaves, it is time that the record be put straight: They don’t deserve to be in government; they have failed and they should be responsible for their failure.”

The Vice President of CAN in the 19 Northern States and Abuja and Chairman of CAN in Kaduna state, Rev. Joseph Hayab, noted that the Presidency was back to its blame game.

He said, “If the President’s spokesmen had been quick to respond to bandits and terrorists the way they are always in a haste to reply to citizens that are complaining because of the painful experience the country is going through, we may have defeated the bandits and corrected many wrongs that are happening in the land.”

Also, the Arewa Christians and Indigenous Pastors Association President, Rev. Luke Shehu,  said, “This is one of the first and major well defined and objective statements made by the NEF. To every rational-minded and patriotic Nigerian, this statement is devoid of religious bigotry or regional sentiments.”