African Division Researcher, Aniete Ewang, has just reported a New Weapons Deal by the US with Nigeria and raised a key concern for US Congress to take a careful look at this deal to ensure necessary and extremely important, Military Accountability, Rights Compliance, before approving this deal. This should not be treated like a normal sale because of Nigerias poor Human Rights records in the past 10 years and running.

According to the African Human Rights Report, ” The US State Department approved another potential multi-million-dollar weapons sale to Nigeria on August 14, citing support for the country’s efforts to fight terrorism and illicit trafficking. Yet the announcement is conspicuously silent on the Nigerian military’s record of serious human rights abuses and on what safeguards, if any, will be implemented to ensure accountability and prevent further violations.” Indeed since the late President Buhari assumed office in 2015, till he left in 2023, insurgency by Bokoharam, ISWAP, increased with a very deadly splinter the LAKURAWA TERRORIST ORGANIZATION a very deadly group that arrived two years ago in the North of Nigeria killing and displacing more communities. Terrorism increased and spread in the North of Nigeria, Kidnapping increased, Banditry increased and Nigeria even had a known negotiator and mouth piece for Terrorists, Kidnappers and Bandits in the North of Nigeria, the notorious Sheik Gumi.

Listen to the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa on the enormity of profiteering by terror sponsors in the North and Government’s apparent incapacity to cope because Terror has become the Huge Multi-Billion Dollars business in Nigeria in the North ofNigeria:

@Channels tv. Army CDS Musa on the challenges of tracking terrorism as it has become a big business in the north. Is there a plot to replicate same business in the South East Nigeria? We shall see.

Reports indicate that between 2006 and 2021, 169,033 deaths were recorded in Nigeria due to various forms of violence, with 63,111 occurring between 2015 and 2023. These numbers encompass violence stemming from terrorism, banditry, herder-farmer clashes, and other conflicts. One source specifically highlights Boko Haram’s responsibility for thousands of deaths between 2011 and 2023, with the highest concentration in Nigeria’s northeastern states, particularly Borno, where over 38,000 deaths were attributed to the group. Yes while it is necessary to arm the military for effective fight against terrorism, it is extremely important that stern accountability be imposed on the military on the use of the equipment and materials,especially Helicopters.

The proposed sale includes munitions, precision bombs, and precision rockets and related equipment for an estimated cost of US$346 million. It follows another $997 million package approved in 2022, which included 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters. Although the 2022 deal was initially held up in the US Senate due to rights concerns, procurement of the helicopters is reportedly now underway. When considering the new arms deal, Congress should not treat it as a routine security transaction.Security concerns across Nigeria are real and widespread. In the Northwest, violent raids, killings, and kidnappings for ransom by criminal gangs continue to destabilize communities. In the Northeast, the Islamist armed group Boko Haram and its splinter factions continue their brutal insurgency against the government while terrorizing civilians and committing abuses.

” In the Southeast, separatist armed groups routinely terrorize and attack communities and kill residents.However, in responding to these threats, Nigerian security forces have been repeatedly implicated in serious rights violations, including unlawful killings, arbitrary detention, torture, and conflict-related abuses.

Nigerian Air Force drops bomb on Civilians Houses in Imo State

It’s just too much, too terrible!

In the Southeastern Nigeria, The Federal Government, Military and Police sponsored the killings of Youths in uncountable numbers as confessed by this Militant Asari-Dokubo in this video clip below;

In the Southeastern Nigeria Tinubu’s Presidency uses two methods to create instability in the Region according to reports. First they allegedly sponsored a fight between IPOB agitators and A very violent group called EBUBEAGU a creation of Federal government using the Governors at the time under Buhari. Records indicate that over 25 000 youths of the South Eastern Nigeria has been either killed or detained in unknown locations since 2015 and now. Killings are still going on. Genuine fears exist that if not restricted , new ammunition would be used to inflict more extra judicial killings in the Southeast Nigeria.

Secondly, it is widely believed, that the Military and the police deliberately deployed so called pardoned Bokoharam terrorists under the Military “Operation Safe Corridor” to the South Eastern Nigeria, to inflict mayhem on the region to justify the ” Terrorist Label ” they deliberately and deceptively slammed on the Biafran Agitators to continue to suppress them and keep their Leader Nnamdi Kanu under detention against the Nigerian Law and Constitution. There is a program and plan to Islamize Nigeria totally, you only need to check the internet and utube to confirm the veracity of this claim. It started full scale under late President Buhari and President Tinubu is pursuing it with added vigor!

Here is a video clip of lies and cover up of so-called clearance of Imo State of IPOB Elements.

@ Channels tv. The insecurity in Imo State has deteriorated inspite of ” Operation Udoka” on display in this video clip. Reports have it that Okigwe Zone, Umuaka Zone, Okinawa Zone, Egbema Zone, Mbaise Zone and many more Zones are heavily infested by dastardly armed Kidnappers. Why the intense and dense Militarization of the South East in this manner? Why are Reports of such bravado by the Military in the Northern Nigeria Zones is scarce?

The answers can be found in the hidden agenda to make the South East Nigeria insecure to silence the people while Nigeria plunders the people. Human Rights Abuses are Galore on daily basis in the Southeastern Nigeria Region. With the exception of Abia State where Governor Oti, took charge and created No Space or Corridor for the Deadly, blood thirsty Fulamization Program. Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi are Zones of high insecurity, so much so that movements are encouraged only between 7am and 6 pm in these states, according to reports. Police dehumanization of citizens is all over the internet!

Continuing with the African Human Rights Division Report: “The US State Department documented many of these abuses in its own 2024 Human Rights Report on Nigeria, released just last week. Military airstrikes have also repeatedly resulted in the deaths of people mistakenly identified as threats, without accountability. In spite of ongoing calls for justice, meaningful reform remains absent. Under US law, security assistance is prohibited to foreign forces implicated in gross human rights violations,( like Nigeria as I have shown above) Before this sale proceeds, US lawmakers should ensure US law is followed. They should require clear, enforceable accountability measures for all military operations, including during the use of airstrikes, alongside concrete safeguards to ensure compliance with international human rights law. The United States should require such conditions before selling weapons to the Nigerian armed forces.”

Looking at the circumstances surrounding Nigeria, in the African Organization, AU, the challenges Nigeria is facing from the new and rising Organization of Sahel States, the intense request for the Release of Nnamdi Kanu who is illegally detained and held by Nigeria in contravention to her Constitution and International protocols and treaties, suspicions are rife that Nigerias arms build up, the pandering to China may well be to hurt Burkina Faso and Ibrahim Traore, for offering reportedly an Honorary Citizenship to One African Prisoner of Conscience and Truth, Nnamdi Kanu. If this suspicion is allowed to bed as the truth, it’s impact on US African Relations should given adequate and deep considerations. My considered opinion is that America stands to benefit more from Africa by supporting Freefom of Expression and letting Ibrahim Traore be . It can not be over emphasized that America stands to gain more by supporting Biafra, than from a fragile Nigeria with Islam looming over her like the Sword of Democles. Biafra has LNG, Oil, Many Other Resources the major of which is Free Enterprise with America and Trade. Igbos are easily the most populous African Ethinc Group by Spread around this World, hurting them at a time like this is ill-advised.

The need for special restrive conditions in is more than necessary now.

Chief Iroko Udele Agunabu writes from Norway.