US will not send troops to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram -McCulley

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Latest Politics Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

United States government on Thursday clarified that its determination to help
Nigeria deal with the Boko Haram menace does not include the sending of
American troops to Nigeria.

United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Terrence McCulley who gave the
clarification however assured that US will encourage President Goodluck
Jonathan to reach out to the indigent families in the north while using the
military to apprehend terrorists.

McCulley told the AFP that US is contemplating to open a consulate in Kano
as a demonstration to the people that Western values are not averse to their
interests.
He said there is a feeling of apprehension in the north that Western influence
is contrary to their interests and religion insisting that there is the need for
United States to open a consulate in Kano to prove the contrary.
“That’s (sending of troops to Nigeria) not on the table. No, absolutely not,” Mr
McCulley told the Associated Press (AP) during the interview.

Nigeria has been under increasing attack from members of Boko Haram. This
year, the sect is blamed for killing at least 304 people, according to an AP
count. At least 185 people died in Kano last month in the group’s deadliest
assault yet.

“It’s of a great concern to us,” McCulley said. “We’ve seen an increase in
sophistication, we’ve seen increased lethality. We saw at least a part of the
group has decided it’s in their interest to attack the international community.”

The U.S. is working with the police to help them learn how to carry out
forensic investigations, while a bomb expert from the FBI has been working
with authorities on how to detect explosives planted by the group before they
detonate, McCulley said.

The U.S. also would be open to training Nigeria’s military in counter-terror
techniques, though the country hasn’t asked for that assistance, the
ambassador said.

“It’s not going to be solved exclusively by treating it as a security issue,”
McCulley said. “It needs a holistic solution. Government needs clearly to
have a targeted approach on security that targets the bad guys, that targets
perpetuators of these horrible attacks and doesn’t injure innocent civilians or
damage property,” he added.wp_posts