Insurgency: US urged to provide concrete support to Nigeria

The United States of America has been urged to provide more concrete support to Nigeria’s war against terrorism beyond the “current ambivalence and grandstanding.”
National Coordinator, Citizens Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA), Mr. Chidi Omeje, made the call during a media interaction hosted by I-Nigerian Initiative in Abuja.
He wondered why the acclaimed global linchpin in the fight against terrorism was foot-dragging in assisting Nigeria in the face of deteriorating insecurity orchestrated by the Boko Haram terrorists.
He said: “This is not time for playing hide and seek. It is period for actions, real actions against unnecessary excuses and blame-games.
“Following the abduction of Chibok school girls, the US and its allies announced that they were sending military help but up till now, the less than 20 personnel sent by the US have continued to stay in the cosy offices of American Embassy in Abuja while data gathered by the country’s mission in Chad through reconnaissance over North East Nigeria has never been shared with Nigeria.”
He noted that it was no longer tenable to keep citing alleged abuse of human rights by Nigerian troops as the reason for the unconscionable indifference of the United States and its allies to the worsening terrorist attacks in Nigeria.
“Their cold indifference and gross insensitivity towards us in our time of need confirms the widely held believe that there is indeed a grand conspiracy to dismember Nigeria and it seems that the ongoing terrorism provides them better latitude.
“We equally recall that the US was actively in collaboration with Chad in brokering the phantom ceasefire between Nigeria and Boko Haram insurgents and it is on record that hours after the ceasefire announcement when there were media reports about the terrorists renewing attacks on some towns and villages, the only statement from the US was for Nigeria not to break the ceasefire agreement and nothing in form of admonition for the terrorists.”
In order to assuage the feelings of Nigerians who feel betrayed by the actions and inactions of the United States and its allies, the group called on President Barack Obama to expeditiously approve a robust support programme for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
“As Africans, we cherish the neighbour who comes to our aid in our time of distress but we consider it ‘salt upon injury’ the antics of a ’friend’ who denigrate us all in the name of assisting us.”