The State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, said that the US refused to sell the helicopters to Nigeria due to concerns about the ability of the military to use and maintain them. Psaki said there were ongoing concerns about the Nigerian military’s protection of civilians when conducting military operations, adding that these had been discussed with the Nigerian authorities. Read what she said after the break
“Earlier this year, we denied the transfer of some cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria due to concerns about Nigeria’s ability to use and maintain this type of helicopter in its effort against Boko Haram and ongoing concerns about the Nigerian military’s protection of civilians when conducting military operations.
We shared those concerns with Nigeria before this decision and subsequent to it. We’ll continue to look for ways to deepen our cooperation with Nigeria to help it acquire the systems and skills needed to restore peace and security. But obviously, we’ve provided a great deal of assistance over the past several months.”
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