United States Consular-General speaks on the war against Boko-Haram [DETAILS]

by Mayowa Aboah

 

boko haram

 

The United States Consular-General to Nigeria, Mr Jeffery Hawkins has reiterated the United State’s commitment to help Nigeria fight Boko Haram.

Speaking on ‘Sunrise on Channels TV’ today, 30 July, Hawkins said that the Obama-led US government remains keen in helping Nigeria to rescue the abducted Chibok girls from the sect.

He said, “The US government’s interest in assisting Nigeria with Boko Haram predates the abduction of Chibok girls. We have an extensive engagement with the Nigerian government on security side which has ramped up since the Chibok girls have been abducted”.

He further noted that the security engagement has been extended in terms of intelligence that will assist Nigeria in tackling the insecurity posed by Boko Haram in the north east part of the country.

Hawkins also said the engagement is not limited to intelligence, revealing that the US is working with the security forces on professionalising the security forces and in dealing with human rights issues.

“We are working with the Police forces on Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs) detection. There is a range of engagement across the whole series of security related areas and then a much wider focus on the north because we believe that the security problem is serious but that is not the only aspect of the problem” He added.

The consular also stated that the US government has identified a wider problem of development and engagement with the people of northern Nigeria, which has to be addressed. He said, “We are very interested in working in education, agriculture and other areas to try and help the Nigerian government to address some of the root problem that causes desperation that will lead people to the sort of heinous things that Boko Haram does”.

However, Hawkins declined to speak on the intelligence sharing operation but reassured that the US is willing to provide the Nigerian government with the information it can use to appropriately respond to the Boko Haram threat.

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