Despite huge resources, Nigeria lacks capacity to deal with Boko Haram – UK

The United Kingdom’s (UK) Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire has said that despite the huge resources available to Nigeria, the country lacks the capacity to deal with terror group, Boko Haram.

Swire spoke while addressing the British Parliament on what UK had done over the growing insurgency in the Northeast.

He said, “We have been stepping up to the crisis. We have approximately £250 million per year expended in Nigeria with other additional packages. With the wealth within Nigeria, they should have the capacity to handle these problems, but the reality is that they don’t.

“That is why a lot of UK support programme is in building up these capacities, which they need through direct tactical training for Nigerian forces. I agree they should have it; but currently, I do not agree they do.

“UK aids goes to other organisations within Nigeria. Yes, we should continue to help, but like I said, you have to justify it. Aid is contentious issues.

“We hope on giving aids government to government. But also, when we look at a country like Nigeria with its huge division of wealth between the North and the South, we think there is a role and in the British interest, to help build capacity and strengthen institutions within the country so that the nation can handle its issues itself; that we will continue to do whether the cameras are on us or off us.”

Swire also reiterated that UK troops would not be coming to fight Boko Haram in the Northeast even if Nigeria would foot the bills, because of “grave human rights issues in the police and armed forces.”

He said, “We would have liked to see a more robust attitude from the army and the military to what is going on in the Northeast, but it is a very complicated and extraordinarily difficult to actually find out what is going on.

“We have heard some stories about people changing sides and equipment being ceased. But it is absolutely certain that the Nigerian Army needs better training to combat the absolutely and incredibly violent terrorist organisation as Boko Haram. But this cannot be done overnight.

“There are issues about equipment going on and about money not reaching the right places, but all these allegations I find untrue, unfortunately. That is why we have training teams in Nigeria and we are trying to build institutional capacity by building a better military.

“There should be a regional solution. Some of these countries are on the borders with Nigeria and are affected already. Also, you cannot offer help if the country you are offering it to does not want it. We have to hear more from the Nigerian government as to how the international community can assist, particularly locally.”