Nigerian Military Training Cancellation Baffles US Experts

The US Embassy in Nigeria announced this week that Nigeria’s military had cancelled specialised training by American soldiers on fighting Boko Haram militants.

A former US ambassador said the move was puzzling, given the Nigerian military’s struggles to defeat the terrorist groups, which had taken control of parts of the country’s North-east.

Since April, US soldiers have been training a battalion of about 600 Nigerian troops on how to take on Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram. The Americans have also provided non-lethal equipment like vehicles and uniforms.

The acting defence and army attaché at the US Embassy in Abuja, Lieutenant Colonel John Cantwell, told the Voice of America (VOA) he was not clear why the Nigerians decided to stop the training.

“No, we did not receive any specific reason as to why they wanted to cancel the training. But their notification was in response to a request that we had sent to them requesting their intention regarding moving forward with the third phase of training,” he said.

Boko Haram has scored numerous successes in its campaign to control and implement Sharia law across north-eastern Nigeria - terrorising the population, bombing, killing and kidnapping thousands of people, overrunning bases and seizing territory from Nigeria’s military.

That is why former US Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell said Nigeria’s move to cut the training short was baffling.

“What on earth were the Nigerians thinking of to simply cancel a training program. And to me that is a complete mystery, because I do not see how it advances their own interests in any way,” he said.

Nigeria military spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, declined to be interviewed, but in a text message called the cancellation a “purely strategic action,” and did not explain further.

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