Extrajudicial killings: U.S Congressman writes Kerry, demands U.S to Suspend Military support to Nigeria

Extrajudicial killings: U.S Congressman writes Kerry, demands U.S to Suspend Military support to Nigeria onnynewsdynamic.blogspot.com

World leaders continue to keep mute and turn a blind eye to the extrajudicial executions of innocent unarmed Biafrans been carried out by president Buhari in Nigeria. Tom Marino who's a member of the United states Congress has written a letter to United States secretary of state, John Kerry asking the US government to withhold security support to Nigeria due to President Buhari's content violation and abuses of human rights law, stating that his government has failed to uphold a democratic administration since he came into power. President Buhari's reputation as a tyrant and dictator has become more evident and alarming for all to see. John Kerry who paid a visit to Nigeria just recently, should know better than to consider offering military service and hardware to President Buhari in the midst of all the terror going on in Nigeria.

Tom Marino who also asked the State Department to refrain from selling warplanes and other military hardware to Nigeria until President Buhari establishes a track record of working towards inclusive government.  In a two-page letter dated September  1, 2016 addressed to Kerry, Marino, a Republican from Pennsylvania who assumed office on January 3, 2011, said there were 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”.

The Congressman, who is a member of the Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs, and the Chairman, Sub-committee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, said Nigerian government must “hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes”. In the six-paragraph letter to Kerry, Marino also expressed concern over Nigeria’s anti-corruption war, saying “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”.

His letter to John 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.”