The Leahy Law, Nigeria’s Counter-Terrorism Measures and Foreign Policy Direction Question

The Leahy Law, Nigeria’s Counter-Terrorism Measures and Foreign Policy

Abstract

Prominent among Nigeria’s wish-list is the suppression of the Boko Haram insurgency ravaging the country since its 
radicalization in 2009 and subsequent internationalization since 2013. Among the counter-terrorism measures of the 
Nigerian government has been to seek military collaboration with its neighbouring countries and foreign powers including 
the United States government since the beginning of the insurgency. However, accusation of gross human rights abuse 
indicted by the Leahy Law has been a major impediment to US military assistance towards Nigeria in her bid to stem the 
scourge of this terror. The Law prohibits assistance to governments of countries whose military is culpable of human 
rights abuses and to a large extent hindered the fight against global terrorism, thereby questioning the United States 
policy of rooting terrorism from wherever they find safe haven. In reversing this, Buhari had to take some measures such 
as shaking up the military, setting up panels to probe past activities and reviewing some national security policies among 
others before embarking on his first official visit to the white house. Despite the visit, no significant aid in terms of sales 
and transfer of weapons, tactical and operational modalities have been struck. This paper questions Nigeria’s continued 
policy reliance in the West, East or its continent, Africa and then submits that Nigeria should look more inward than 
outward in her fight against terrorism