The Peoples Democratic Party Caucus in the US House of Representatives has praised the timing of US Secretary of State Anthony Bliken’s travel to Nigeria.
Mr Bliken should utilise the visit to “address the growing human rights abuses, increasing threats to democracy, insecurity, and corruption in Nigeria”, according to caucus leader Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers).
The US Secretary of State is now in Kenya. Other than Nigeria, he will also visit Senegal as part of his diplomatic tour in Africa.
“The US Secretary of State should as a matter of urgency hold the Nigerian Government to account for the wanton assaults on rights, abuse of state power, systematic use of state violence to suppress peaceful protesters, particularly activists of the #EndSARS Movement and campaigners for self-determination, extra-judicial killings, intimidation of the judiciary; and declare to this government that abuses of human rights have consequences,” their statement reads in part.
The major opposition party also slammed President Buhari for not maximising US “strategic military and counter-insurgency assistance” and argued that the nation could not afford to lose men to terrorists when the US could help.
“Just this week a Brigadier General was killed by ISWAP and this is in addition to the countless numbers of soldiers who have been killed or grievously injured with the weightless and worthless remark of getting to the root of the matter,” the caucus said.
