The United States has said that the Nigerian military is becoming afraid of engaging the Boko Haram insurgents.
Testifying on Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the US Air Force Chief of staff, Gen. Mark Welsh III, said, “We’re now looking at a military force that is, quite frankly, becoming afraid to even engage. The United States doesn’t have the capacity, the capability to go rescue every kidnapped person around the world.”
The New York Times reported that the US might choose to minimise its involvement in the search for the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram due to doubts over Nigeria’s military capabilities.
The Pentagon’s Principal Director for African Affairs, Alice Friend, also said, “The Nigerian military has the same challenges with corruption that every other institution in Nigeria does. Much of the funding that goes to the Nigerian military is skimmed off the top, if you will.”
US officials have also said that its involvement had also been made difficult because Nigerian officials ignored past warnings to soften brutal tactics that only fuelled the Boko Haram’s insurgency.
At Thursday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, officials condemned the kidnappings and committed American aid to help rescue the girls. But they also expressed frustration at Nigeria’s political and military leaders for failing to heed Washington’s warnings about the extremist group.
“We have been urging Nigeria to reform its approach to Boko Haram,” Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Robert Jackson, said.
He added, “From our own difficult experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, we know that turning the tide of an insurgency requires more than force. The state must demonstrate to its citizens that it can protect them and offer them opportunity. When soldiers destroy towns, kill civilians and detain innocent people with impunity, mistrust takes root.”
A retired Head of the US military’s Africa Command, Gen. Carter Ham, said, “My sense is that US Government will remain in a supporting role to Nigeria. I do not think the U.S.G. will seek unilateral action.”
The size of the Sambisa Forest is also believed to make the search for the girls difficult.
“We are basically searching for these girls in an area that’s roughly the size of West Virginia, so it’s a tough challenge, to be sure,” state Department spokesman, Marie Harf, said on Thursday. New York Times
It must be made clear to The Pentagon Principal Director for African Affairs Mr Alice Friend, that his statements and stand about the Chibok girls saga is an embarrasment to a good number of people throughout the world. His job is not to divide the peace of the Nigerian military nor to recount unnecessary past but to provide a supportive role to the Nigerian soliders as was passed by the US House of Senate.Why is he claiming that they would provide unilateral actions? If they bring Drones or othe sophisticated survellance materials or any other materials used by their miltary, who do they expect to man those things? When they went to Iraqi war, against the UN orders, were they justified? Let him explain very clearly the idea of unilateral help. His job is not to critcize Nigerian administration, as if America is Heaven on earth. COULD IT BE THAT GEJ DID NOT TALK ABOUT THEIR GAIN LIKE DRILLING OUR OILS? They dont go to where they dont stand to gain something.
I don’t think that we should easily ignore the allegations that was made regarding the Nigeria’s Army’s reluctance to fight Boko Haram. The statement cannot have been made in a vacuum. You have to ask yourself “what does the US stand to gain from the statement?”. I can’t fathom what the US gains here. But it certainly would hamper their efforts to help the Nigerian Army if, despite the efforts of the US military, the Nigerian Army is unwilling to utilize intelligence provided to engage Boko Haram. Is such a situation the US military is wasting its resources, plus it is making clear that it will not deploy troops on the ground to fight Nigeria’s battle for Nigeria. This should make us step back and look at the entire situation. Perhaps the Nigerian Army isn’t equipped to deal with this domestic terrorist situation? Are there alternatives to deploying the Army – formed to deal with external aggression – against domestic terrorists? We should rather reflect instead of being quick to criticize.
The failure of Nigerian Army did not start today,in 1967 to 1970 with evil collaboration of the British Govt and their mercenaries including the Syrians,Egyptians,Sudanese,Niger,Chad could not stop Biafra for 30 clear Months with heavy casualties on both side.They also went to Liberia in 1993 to stop Charles Taylor rebels for over Ten Years after which we used our money to make Taylor President,then you begin to wonder why we went their in the first place.
Later we went to Sierra Leone to fight Corporal Foday Sankoy-a.k.a MOSQUITO,who inflicted heavy casualties on our men.They went to Bakkasi but could not stop Gendarmes from killing our people
The wroth today did not start today inspite of all the posturing as if we had an invincible army all these Years,today the chicken has come home for the roasting.