Linda Thomas-Greenfield
The Government of the United States of America has restated its commitment to assist Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram and rescue the Chibok girls.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and the Commander United States Africa Command (USAAFRICOM), Gen. David Rodriguez, made this known in a joint online press conference.
Thomas-Greenfield said President Muhammadu Buhari is going to be in Washington later this month for meetings with the administration.
“And we will have discussions with him on what we can do to continue to assist Nigeria and their effort to fight against Boko Haram. Part of that discussion will be how we can provide the equipment and support that Nigerians require.
“Part of what we will do is to engage with the new government, we will have discussion on what we can do to continue to assist Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.
“Human rights are an important value for the United States and in any place that we are providing lethal weapons.
“We want to know that the militaries that we are providing those weapons to do not use that in a way that violates the human rights of ordinary civilians so we will have that discussion moving forward,” she said.
Thomas-Greenfield said the US government will discuss these issues with the Nigerian government, adding that they will also discuss how to better prepare Nigerian military to support communities.
“And build confidence in communities and not be victimised by the efforts of the military in the fight against Boko Haram.”
Thomas-Green also said that the rescue of the abducted Chibok girls was high priority for the US government. “This has been an extremely high priority for the US government to assist in bringing these girls home and also hundreds of other girls and young boys who were forcefully abducted by …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
