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Gen. Christopher Musa’s comment underscores one of the biggest challenges for Africa’s most populous nation in combating a deadly and complex security crisis, from the Islamic militant insurgency in the northeast to the dozens of armed groups targeting travelers and communities in the northwest and central regions
Nigeria’s defense chief expressed frustration with what he called the double standards of some countries that would not sell to his country military weapons because of human rights concerns.
Gen. Christopher Musa’s comment underscores one of the biggest challenges for Africa’s most populous nation in combating a deadly and complex security crisis, from the Islamic militant insurgency in the northeast to the dozens of armed groups targeting travelers and communities in the northwest and central regions. He declined to name the countries in question when asked by the media.
Nigeria’s security forces have faced allegations of extrajudicial killings and illegal arrests. The United States and other major arms suppliers at one point or another have withheld the sale of weapons over those accusations. In December, at least 85 civilians were killed when a Nigerian army drone erroneously targeted a religious gathering in northwest Kaduna state, the latest of several such incidents.
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Musa said Nigeria’s military has continued to improve its human rights record and is holding its personnel to account. Alleged abuses are often investigated, and a report on the December incident will be released soon, he said. U.S. military support to Nigeria has at times included training on how to mitigate risks to civilians, according to a State Department statement in January on security cooperation. It said that in August, Nigeria delivered the first payment for 12 attack helicopters worth a total of USD 997 million.
