'Nothing in the US law prevents Nigeria from getting military equipment'

The United States of America has said it will work with Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram, saying it was determined to find the insurgents and deal with them wherever they may be.

A delegation from the U.S. Congress visits Buhari. By  @GarShehu

A United States Congressional delegation currently touring Nigeria, assured that President Barrack Obama would work with the Federal Government to defeat the insurgents.


Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, leader of the delegation, Darell Issa dismissed reports that the Leahy Amendment prevented the US from supplying arms to the Nigerian military.

The lawmaker stated that nothing under the American law stopped his country from providing technical support to Nigeria, stressing that the US government would provide the necessary technical support and training the military needed to defeat Boko Haram.

He said “I want to make one thing extremely clear; there have been reports about the candid discussions about the Leahy Amendment; nothing under current US laws prevents full cooperation and technical support, training for the Nigerian military and for all the departments of government. Those are on and will continue.

“Nothing in the law prevents USAID from its full engagement throughout Nigeria and nothing in the document will stop the United States from providing any and all assistance to the military.

“The changes that the president (Buhari) has promised, that the joint chiefs agreed to work on are changes that we embrace, that we would work with the government.”

Another member of the delegation, Sheila Lee urged Nigerians to unite against Boko Haram, regardless of geopolitical and ethno-religious affiliations.

She said, “Boko Haram, we will find you wherever you are and we ask that you recognise the human dignity of all people. Bring back those girls; release the people and respond to the generosity of those who will bring you to rehabilitation and training and to come into civil society and be the heroic Nigerians that you can be. Bring the girls back or we will come and find you wherever you are.”

Other members of the delegation are Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat-Texas) Randolph Blake Farenthold (Republican-Texas) and Frederica Wilson (Democrat- Florida)

Lee Wilson, said the revived relationship between Nigeria and the US is a new opportunity to stop Boko Haram which “is ruining the reputation of the entire Nigeria,” adding that the US Congress is solidly behind efforts to end terrorism in Nigeria.

“The institutional support that would come has everything to do with the confidence that the people of Nigeria should know that terrorists should be killed in the battle field but should be dealt with humanly when apprehended. I want to make it extremely clear, we came here to hear from the government and we heard what we wanted to hear loudly and clearly that they have a commitment for human rights support, they have a commitment to end the corruption that has robbed so much from the people of Nigeria and that in fact, democratic government is secure here in Nigeria.”