US Stops Military Helicopter Resale To Nigeria Citing Human Rights Violations

The resale of US-made military helicopters by Israel to Nigeria has been stopped by the US for its fight against Boko Haram last summer, according to Abuja. 

“The transfer of such aircraft requires a review, in order to determine its "consistency with US policy interests," Jerusalem Post quoted Obama administration officials as saying.

Reviews of this kind take place in the case of "any requests for one country to transfer US-origin defense items to another country," White House Assistant Press Secretary and Director for Strategic Communications Ned Price said. 

According to a report initially published in a local Nigerian daily, This Day, Nigerian government officials believe a large sale was halted because of "unfounded allegations of human rights violations by our troops."  an unnamed Nigerian official was quoted as saying.



US officials told Post that such transfers must be consistent with a policy directive revised by President Barack Obama in January, which outlines the criteria for conventional weapons sales. 

The policy requires US transfers, including of Boeing aircraft, take into account "the risk that significant change in the political or security situation of the recipient country could lead to inappropriate end-use" of the weapons.