The United States Government has blocked efforts by the Nigerian military to procure US-made Chinook helicopters from Israel for the fight against terrorism across Nigeria, Thisday reports.
According to the findings carried out by the Nigerian newspaper, the US has also refused to provide Nigeria’s security agencies with intelligence needed to defeat Boko Haram insurgents.
It was gathered that the matter would form part of the discussions when President Goodluck Jonathan meets with US President Barack Obama in New York this week.
It would be recalled that President Jonathan departed for New York on Sunday, 21 September, 2014, for the 69th General Assembly of the United Nations.
It is believed that Nigerian Army needs the Chinook helicopters to checkmate Boko Haram insurgents, who move in convoys through arid towns and villages, reinforce troops and supplies and recover dead and wounded soldiers.
The Chinook is a versatile and reliable American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter produced by Boeing. Its primary roles are troops movement, artillery placement and battlefield resupply.
It was also gathered that the helicopter has a number of variants and is used primarily for the transportation of troops, supplies and search and rescue operations. While limited weaponry can be mounted on its door and window for the purpose of enemy attacks.
However, according to defence and intelligence sources, attempts to buy the helicopters and other munitions from, first the US and other Western European countries, have proved to be an impossible task, thus compelling the military to resort to Israel.
A source in the Nigerian Army, who did not want to be named as he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said: “The US government has frustrated Nigeria all the way in our war against terrorism despite its public statements in support of Nigeria.
“They have refused to sell us arms and equipment and even our recent attempt to buy Chinook helicopters, which are manufactured in the US, from the Israelis was blocked, based on unfounded allegations of human rights violations by our troops.
“This is after the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu had initially approved the purchase. But because they were supplied by the Americans, the Israelis required a ‘No Objection’ letter from Washington which was refused.
“We had even tried to procure arms from Russia but this was stalled because of the Ukrainian crisis, thus compelling us to turn to other nations like Israel. But even this has been frustrated by the US.”
The source added that it was not just in the area of arms procurement that US has been most unhelpful, adding that contrary to its public stance that it was assisting in the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, the US has done nothing significant to help Nigeria in this regard.
Also speaking on the issue, another military source also stated that the US has refused to share intelligence with Nigerian security forces in a timely manner.
“When we complained they started sharing some intelligence, but days after such intelligence becomes of little value.
“They have blocked us from procuring the helicopters and would not provide us with intelligence despite the fact that they have several drones and sophisticated aircraft overflying the North-east of Nigeria,” the source said.
A security analyst, while commenting on the issue, accused the US of double standards and questioned its intent over the Boko Haram insurgency.
He added that ignoring the threat of Boko Haram could be a strategy that could come to haunt the US in the future.
The analyst also wondered why the US would refuse to assist Nigeria based on unsubstantiated claims of human rights violations, which the Nigerian military has repeatedly denied and insisted are carried out by Boko Haram insurgents wearing Nigerian military uniforms.
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