Why We Couldn't Deploy Troops Against B'Haram --US

United States has said it could not deploy troops against Boko Haram
in the North-East because there is a democratically elected government
in Nigeria.

It stated that it was taking the lead against Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria terrorists because there is no functional government in
Syria.

A ranking US Congressman and member of the sub-committee on National
Security, Stephen Lynch, who spoke to select journalists in Abuja on
Wednesday, explained that the US had assisted Nigeria with huge amount
of money, adding that America sees Nigeria as a close ally.

He said, "We are taking the lead against ISIL because there is no
government in Syria, but in Nigeria, there is a democratically elected
government in place. The US is doing what it has been asked to do; we
are providing training, manpower development, capacity building and we
have assisted Nigeria with billions."

When asked if the US has done enough to assist in rescuing the 219
Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram about 331 days ago, Lynch
admitted that America has not done enough to rescue the girls.

"Until the girls are rescued, we have not done enough," he stated.
The lawmaker who is also a member of the Financial Services Committee
and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said the source
of Boko Haram financing has been cut off, noting that the sect could
no longer use banks to transfer its funds like before.

The lawmaker whose committee was in Nigeria to continue its nearly
three years investigation of embassy and diplomatic security at
high-risk overseas US State Department facilities, stated that the
Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit has largely blocked off Boko Haram
source of funding.

The sect, he said, is sustaining its deadly campaign through ransoms
from kidnappings, robberies, imposition of taxes on people and other
criminal activities which are difficult to stop.

Lynch said no insurgency could be sustained without support from the
people, adding that the only way to deprive terrorism of support is by
having the population on the side of the government.

The legislator stressed that the forthcoming election in the country
is very important and advised candidates to speak against violence at
every opportunity, noting that the candidates have a lot of influence
which they could use to preach non-violence polls to their supporters.
--PUNCH