PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has secured a major concession from President Barrack Obama during his ongoing visit to Washington after the US agreed to sell Nigeria Apache Attack helicopters to facilitate the fight against Boko Haram.
During the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, the US rejected repeated requests from the Nigerian government to sell it the helicopters, raising objections to the human rights abuses of the military. It is believed the US was also fearful that the corruption within the Nigerian military made it likely that the helicopters could end up in the hands of Boko Haram as several soldiers were leaking secrets to the terrorists.
This lack of equipment, according to the Jonathan administration, was responsible for the slow reaction of the military in the fight against Boko Haram. However, it appears that having got assurances from President Buhari that human rights abuses will be looked at and corruption will be fought, President Obama has decided to unblock the sale of the helicopters.
US law forbids the sale of certain arms to militaries accused of gross human rights abuses. Amnesty International had accused the Nigerian Army's leadership of complicity in the death of about 8,000 detainees in the battle against Boko Haram.
Grant Harris of the US National Security Council, said: "We're looking forward to what we can do with a president who has staked out an agenda that we think is the right agenda at the right time." It is believed that the US has agreed to sell eight advanced Apache attack helicopters to Nigeria in a deal worth around $500m.
US political analyst Goldman Anthony, said: "Privately, the new security commanders are warning of no quick fixes. They are arguing that Boko Haram infiltration of the army and civilian structures is a major unresolved difficulty."
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