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Despite worries about Nigeria's human rights record, the Biden administration has approved the purchase of modern attack helicopters worth roughly $1 billion as the country fights threats from criminal gangs and extremists in the north.
The sale of 24 Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters and related equipment to Nigeria was recently approved by the US State Department. Guidance, night vision, and targeting systems, as well as engines and training support, are all included in the arms sale.
Following Secretary of State Blinken's November visit to Nigeria, the sale was completed. Blinken expressed concern about Nigeria's human rights record during the visit. However, at the time, Blinken made it clear that the US saw Nigeria as a partner in the fight against terrorism and Islamic extremism in West Africa and the Sahara Desert region of North Africa. Blinken stated that the US wants to expand its cooperation with Nigeria in those areas.
The State Department told Congress that the arms transfer will help the US achieve its foreign policy and national security goals by enhancing the security of a vital partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Officials in the United States believe that the agreement will better equip Nigeria to contribute to shared security goals, support regional stability, and improve interoperability with the United States and other Western allies.
Nevertheless, Nigeria's security services have long been accused of violating human rights in their operations, with those responsible frequently evading accountability.
For example, in October 2020, the Nigerian army opened fire on a crowd of hundreds protesting police brutality in the country's economic core, killing 11 people, and injuring many more. During his visit, Blinken stated that the US was eager to see the entire conclusions of an inquiry into the incident, and that the decision on arms sales to Nigeria would be based in part on the findings and whether those involved were held accountable.
Nigeria is under attack from armed gangs and extreme rebels who are collaborating in the country's unstable northwest, threatening to destabilize an already volatile region. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with 206 million people, has been fighting unrest in the north, and many feel that a coalition between the two groups might exacerbate the issue.
