The United States has approved a $346 million weapons package for Nigeria even as new concerns about human rights abuses in the country continue to grow — www.naijnaira.com reports.
In the same week, the U.S. State Department released its 2024 Human Rights Report, confirming years of allegations that Nigerian security forces commit abuses with little accountability, Reuters reports.
The report listed arbitrary killings, forced disappearances, torture, and prolonged detention of civilians, including women and children, often under harsh conditions.
It also stated that operations targeting Boko Haram, ISIS-WA, and armed gangs frequently ended with civilian deaths rather than just militant casualties.
Ironically, the newly approved arms are intended for these same conflict zones in the northeast and along the Gulf of Guinea where piracy and trafficking remain rampant.
If approved, the package would supply Nigeria’s forces with precision bombs, rockets, and related equipment despite evidence of repeated violations by the military.
Critics argue that U.S. law prohibits selling weapons to governments with a consistent pattern of human rights abuses, yet no administration has ever fully enforced these restrictions.
Congress once halted a delivery of Cobra helicopters to Nigeria over civilian protection concerns, but the decision was quickly overturned.
Analysts point to a deep contradiction in U.S. foreign policy: promoting human rights on paper while prioritizing military dominance and strategic alliances in practice.
Groups like the Center for Civilians in Conflict warn that Washington routinely puts counterterrorism and competition with global powers above protecting civilians.
Nigeria’s role as a key partner against jihadists and as a hedge against China, Russia, and Turkey makes it a strategic ally Washington seems unwilling to lose.
Arms transfers have risen sharply, with more than $1.5 billion in official sales and $200 million in private deals alongside regular training and joint drills.
Yet insecurity continues to escalate in Nigeria, worsened by corruption, weak accountability, and misuse of military resources.
Air strikes remain a particular problem, with poor coordination between air and ground forces causing multiple mass-casualty mistakes in recent years.
In 2017, a botched strike killed over 200 displaced civilians in Borno state, and subsequent strikes, including one in Zamfara last year, have left hundreds dead.
Despite acquiring advanced Super Tucano aircraft with precision capabilities, civilian deaths from Nigerian air force strikes continue to mount.
Observers warn that new weapons alone cannot guarantee safer operations without reforms that enforce accountability and better protect civilians.
Washington faces the risk of enabling further abuses unless the deal is tied to strict oversight and programs that prioritize civilian safety.
The debate now exposes a larger question: how far the U.S. is willing to compromise its human rights principles for geopolitical advantage.
Article updated 23 hours ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
