US Congressman writes to US Secretary of state, John Kerry, accuses Buhari of autocratic tendencies, selective Anti-Graft war
A member of the United States Congress, Tom Marino, has written a letter
to Secretary of State, John Kerry, asking the US government to withhold
security assistance to Nigeria until President Buhari demonstrates a
“commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of
democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech”.
According to
Thisday,
Marino in his two-page letter, accused President Buhari of autocratic
tendencies and selective anti-graft war. Marino asked the State
Department to stop selling warplanes and other military equipment to
Nigeria until President Buhari establishes a track record of working
towards inclusion of other opposition members.
His letter to Kerry reads:
“Dear Secretary Kerry, I am encouraged by the personal interest you
have taken in aiding Nigeria and its administration as it takes on
endemic corruption, multiple insurgent movements, and a faltering
economy. However, I believe there are a number of warning signs emerging
in the Buhari administration that signal “the man who once led Nigeria
as a military dictator might be sliding towards former autocratic
tendencies. I would urge the U.S. to withhold its security assistance to
the nation until President Buhari demonstrates a commitment to
inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to
assemble and freedom of speech. A logical start towards this commitment
is for the Nigerian government to hold accountable those members of the
Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in
extra-judicial killings and war crimes. Human rights groups like Amnesty
International have widely documented torture, inhumane treatment, and
extra-judicial killings of defenseless Nigerians since President Buhari
took office.”
Quoting Amnesty International Report, he wrote, “in the last six months,
Nigeria’s military has unlawfully killed at least 350 people and
allowed more than 168 people, including babies and children, to die in
military detention. The Secretary to the Government of Kaduna State even
admitted to burying 347 of those killed in a mass grave. And while
President Buhari promised swift condemnation, his words rang empty.
Instead of swift reforms, Buhari chose to reinstate Major General Ahmadu
Mohammed, who Amnesty International revealed was in charge of the
Nigerian military unit that executed more than 640 unarmed, former
detainees. Also, in separate incidents concerning the Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), the Nigerian Army has killed at least 36 – the real
number is likely higher – people since December 2015 in an attempt to
silence opposition and quell attempts by the group to gather publicly.”
Describing President Buhari as a former military dictator whose
administration as military head of state was cut short by a coup, he
stated that the President has continually shunned inclusivity in favour
of surrounding himself with advisors and ministers from the north of the
country and the region he considers home.
“Of President Buhari’s 122 appointees, 77 are from the north and control
many of the key ministries and positions of power. Distrust is already
high in Nigeria and favouring Northerners for key appointments has only
antagonized the issue. These appointments are also primarily Muslim in
the north and Christian in the south, adding a religious aspect to
long-held regional biases. Of additional concern is President Buhari’s
selective anti-corruption drive, which has focused almost exclusively on
members of the opposition party, over-looking corruption amongst some
of Buhari’s closest advisors. Politicizing his anti-corruption efforts
has only reinforced hostility among southerners,” he claimed in the
letter.
He said the Obama Administration would advance justice by urging the
Buhari Administration to act decisively to hold accountable members of
the police and military.
The congressman said, “This is a logical first step in making a
demonstrable, sustained commitment to inclusive democracy, with
distributed power in Nigeria. Until President Buhari establishes a track
record of working towards inclusion, we ask the State Department to
refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to the
country. The State Department should urge President Buhari to form a
government that represents the diversity of its citizens and allows
dissenting voices to be heard. Democracy can thrive only if people are
free to assemble, to express their beliefs, and voice their concerns.”
Nnamdi Kanu who is the
leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to destroy
Nigeria.
The pro-Biafra champion who has been incarcerated since 2015 explained
that he plans to destroy Nigeria not with explosives but with truth.
Read more: https://www.naij.com/955152-plan-destroy-nigeria-nnamdi-kanu.
– Nnamdi Kanu vowed to
destroy Nigeria by saying the truth
– The IPOB leader who have been arrested since 2015 described Nigeria as
a British contraption
– He said the union was forced which was the reason for the agitation
for Biafra
Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB)
has vowed to destroy Nigeria.
The pro-Biafra champion who has been incarcerated since 2015 explained
that he plans to destroy Nigeria not with explosives but with truth.
Read more: https://www.naij.com/955152-plan-destroy-nigeria-nnamdi-kanu.html
