Paul Obi in Abuja
As Nigeria intensifies efforts at crushing Boko Haram terrorists in the North-east, top United States security chiefs yesterday visited Nigeria to lend support to the fight against the terrorists.
US Director of Defence Intelligence Agency, Lt Gen Vincent Stewart, who led the delegation, commended the resilience of the Nigerian Armed Forces for defeating Boko Haram and chasing them out of their once safe haven, Sambisa forest.
Stewart met with Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, at the Defence Headquarters Abuja to acquaint himself and the rest of the team with Nigeria’s strategy towards eliminating terrorism in the West African region.
He explained that he “was in Nigeria to meet with the top echelon of the Nigeria Armed Forces with a view to collaborating in the areas of security and to pledge more support for the military in order to engender total stoppage of Boko Haram from operating in Nigeria territory and denying them future freedom of operation.”
Speaking, General Olonisakin harped on the need for more cordial working relationship between the US and Nigeria, especially in military cooperation.
He commended the US for all the supports the Nigerian military has enjoyed from them, adding that the gesture has contributed immensely to the success recorded against terrorism.
Olonisakin used the occasion to intimate the visiting US senior military officer that the Nigerian Armed Forces have constantly uphold the tenet of human right and dignity in its operations.
He informed the US delegation that presently, Nigerian Armed Forces have established Human Rights Desks in all its units and formations to safeguard human rights of Individual including the belligerents.
“This giant stride,” he stressed, “was believed to encourage the United States Government to render more assistance to Nigeria and its armed forces.”
