United States Senator, Patrick Leahy, (D-Vermont) took a swipe at
President Muhammadu Buhari’s comments accusing the U.S of aiding Boko
Haram using the Leahy Law, saying the Nigeria’s President must face his
responsibilities of effectively countering the Boko Haram extremists.
Speaking to the U.S. Institute for Peace in Washington recently, Buhari
suggested the denial of weapons sales was helping Boko Haram.
President 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 neighbors, 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. In the face of abduction of innocent
school girls from their hostels, indiscriminate bombings of civilians in
markets and places of worship, our forces have remained largely impotent.
This is 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 abated 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.”
Reacting to the comments by the President of Nigeria, Senator Leahy said
it is a documented fact that Nigerian Army personnel have often engaged in
gross violations of human rights.
Senator Leahy Statement reads:
Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) To Nigerian President Buhari’s
Mis-Directed Criticism Of The Leahy Law On Human Rights
“It is well documented by the State Department and by respected human
rights organizations that Nigerian army personnel have, for many years,
engaged in a pattern and practice of gross violations of human rights
against the Nigerian people and others, including summary executions of
prisoners, indiscriminate attacks against civilians, torture, forced
disappearances and rape. Rarely have the perpetrators been prosecuted or
punished.
“This abusive conduct not only violates the laws of war, it creates fear
and loathing among the Nigerian people whose support is necessary to
defeat a terrorist group like Boko Haram.
“President Buhari ignores the undisputed fact that most Nigerian army
units have been approved, under the Leahy Law, for U.S. training and
equipment. Only those particular units against which there is credible
evidence of the most heinous crimes are ineligible for U.S. aid. And even
those units can again become eligible if the Nigerian Government takes
effective steps to bring the responsible individuals to justice.
“I strongly agree with President Buhari about the need to defeat Boko
Haram, and I have supported tens of millions of dollars in U.S. aid to
Nigeria for that purpose. But rather than suggest that the United States
is at fault for not funding murderers and rapists in the Nigerian
military, he should face up to his own responsibility to effectively
counter Boko Haram. He should direct his attention to the Nigerian
military, and the Nigerian courts, and clean up the units implicated in
such atrocities.”