Chibok: Reasons US has not deployed drones The international support towards finding the girls, which was led by the United States of America, did not include the country deploying drones or sending troops for strategic reasons bothering on Nigeria’s tacit disapproval, the complex approval-seeking process and the US’ policy of not wanting to ‘meddle in sovereign countries’ affairs.’ According to an online report published by an American media agency, NBCnews, US officials had offered to assist with everything possible to help Nigeria in the search for the missing girls, which has resulted in a global social media campaign #Bringbackourgirls, but the Nigerian government was reportedly said to be mulling over allowing US drones fly over the troubled North-East zone. Another reason said to have prevented the US from deploying drones to Nigeria, it was gathered, is the complexity surrounding the Boko Haram debacle, in which the US had been careful to be too involved evident in its decision not designate Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorists Organisation despite widespread calls to do so, though indication emerged at the weekend that the US and Nigeria were already pushing for Boko Haram’s designation a terrorist organisation by the United Nations. Similarly, Nigerian security forces’ alleged human rights abuses in the handling of the crisis was cited as another reason the US has refused to demonstrate full commitment to the situation, by deploying drones despite their being said to be apt in achieving quick results in bringing back the girls, as the law restricts assistance to militaries that are guilty of violating human rights. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, according to experts, are capable of being stationed longer than manned aircraft, with the use of cameras and infrared sensors that are capable of detecting movement and heat to transmit live feeds to analysts on the ground. Those in the know argued that drones would come in handy in the search for the missing girls believed to be held inside the vast Sambisa Forest in Borno State. The report, however, stated that “the reason why the Nigerian government has not requested the remotely-piloted US surveillance drones is not clear.” Attempts to speak with the military authorities to ascertain the veracity of the claim that the country has been skeptical about allowing US drones in the country was not successful, as at the time of filing this report. But the report claimed that the US was frustrated at the inaction on the part of the Nigerian government, with the Pentagon Press Secretary, Rear Admiral John Kirby saying that “there are no active discussions with the Nigerian government about the use of unmanned aerial surveillance or drones”. According to Kirby, the relatively small “coordination team” of US military, law enforcement FBI and intelligence officials is the only offer of assistance that the Nigerian government has accepted. He declined to say what else was offered and rejected by the Nigerian government, saying “we urge them (Nigerians) to use all resources at their disposal,” adding that the country has not deployed drones into Nigeria. “No permission, no flights,” said a US official reportedly familiar with US intelligence options in sub-Saharan Africa. It was further gathered that the US was also limited by the fact it would have to get permission from Nigeria’s neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad and possibly Congo – “because the mission would also almost certainly involve overflights there, where Boko Haram troops also are active,” In a related development, US lawmakers had also been said to have shown little interest in sending troops to Nigeria in search of the abducted girls, another reason that might have played a role in the US’ decision not to deploy drones, which experts noted that it had in excess. A report by The Hill stated that though the lawmakers wanted to help Nigeria recover the missing schoolgirls, they were not willing to approve the deployment of US troops. The lawmakers, it was gathered, mostly urged indirect steps such as sanctions, intelligence sharing and assistance to the Nigerian military, rather than the deployment of US troops to get the girls back themselves.
Posted on: Sun, 11 May 2014 11:49:32 +0000
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