U.S. links Boko Haram funding to illicit oil sale

The United States (US), yesterday, disclosed that the Boko Haram group could be getting its funding from illicit trade of oil in market, urging the Buhari administration to take the issue of corruption seriously in the sector so as to address the insurgency.

U.S. Congressman, Darrel Edward Issa, made the remarks at a press briefing with diplomatic correspondents in Abuja.

He said: “As long as billions of dollars in oil is being sold, you have a black market that funds many things, Boko Haram can be a clandestine beneficiary of that money too. Some of these areas are within the power of the Nigeria government. So, when they end corruption, they may also reduce the flow of that kind of money that goes into sponsoring terrorism.”

Issa, who led the US Congressional delegation to the country, reiterated the American commitment to assist Nigeria in any capacity, but lamented the sad situation in the Nigerian military which, he said, has gone into disrepair during the previous administrations.

“This is a military that was allowed to fall into disrepair during the previous administration; there is no denying that. When morale is low, training is low and when the training is low, the troops are not prepared to win. The use of South African mercenaries said a great deal about the end of the last administration and the condition of the military.

The US has been involved in training the Nigerian military and ready to do a great deal more. “The number one thing we can bring to this government is professionalising training, both in the skill necessary to kill and the appropriate action when they capture and take a community and both are our most important contributions and we also apply technical capabilities,” he said.

He added that the Nigerian army, contrary to insinuations, does not lack basic firearms and does not lack basic ability to buy ammunition at the international market, adding that it only lacks “the training necessary both to manoeuvre effectively and lacked, historically, the recognition of the rules of international law; in other words, the human rights portion of it.”

He stressed that the Leahy Law does not limit the kind of training and assistance that the US is willing to give to Nigeria, adding that if the Nigerian authorities show great commitment to preservation of human rights, it would become incumbent on the US to lift the Leahy amendment.

Issa explained further that the issue of arms supply to Nigeria can only be settled if the Nigerian government takes human rights as a matter of priority. “The desire to have Blackhawk Helicopters is a wonderful desire. It is not the problem.

The problem is and can be solved together, but I will tell you when we spoke to your legislators, we got commitment to put at the forefront the human rights issues and correcting that; holding those accountable for any past war crimes,” he remarked.

On her part, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee called on all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliations, to come together in combating the menace.

“My real reason of being here today is to indicate that Boko Haram is a Nigerian crisis; it has now risen to international crisis and it is completely necessary for the people of Nigeria from the east to the west to the North and South to understand that they will not solve the crisis and the violence and the viciousness of Boko Haram unless the people of Nigeria rise up and support the north, and recognise that as the north is attacked, so am I.

“When we in the United States of America, when one of our states is under siege, no matter what our respective political affiliation, whoever the president is, we come together as one. That is the first immediate, I believe, response that is necessary. And we have made this point in every level of government meeting,” she said.

Sheila, who called on everybody to continue to demand for the release of the Chibok girls, said the US would not relent on its effort until the girls are released.

She said: “My last sentence is to Boko Haram, 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 societies and be the heroic Nigerians that you can be. Bring the girls back or we will come and find you wherever you are. And I am not afraid of Boko Haram.”

Also speaking, Congresswoman Federica Wilson, who lamented over the menace of the terror group, said: “When we in the US hear about Nigeria, we don’t think about all of the wealth and all of the genius and all of the entrepreneurial skills that you and which you are doing here, and your new president and election; what covers our pages and our minds is Boko Haram. Boko Haram is ruining the reputation of the entire country of Nigeria.”

She, however, said all hands must be on deck to wipe out the terror group.

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