TheCable

Nigerian scholars abroad, under the auspices of Association of Nigerian Scholars in Diaspora (ANDS) have faulted the recent report by the US Department of State on Corruption and Human Rights violation under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.

A report by the US Department of State entitled, “2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,” accused the Nigerian government and the military of arbitrary and unlawful killings.

However, ANDS believes that the report was apparently aimed at weakening the Nigerian government.

Bitrus Gamwa and Pita Agbese, president and secretary-general respectively who signed the communique on behalf of the Diasporan Nigeria scholars, rejected the report in its entirety and, therefore, called on other professional bodies of Nigerian origin to do the same.

“The section of the report that pertained to Nigeria was filled with half-truths, misleading information and outright lies that are meant to subjugate Nigeria by way of bringing the country to heel in aligning with US geo-strategic interests even where they run contrary to Nigeria’s interests,” they said in a communique.

“It deliberately took aim at crucial government agencies of Nigeria in a bid to make it appear like a repressive regime contrary to its democratic credential as a popularly elected government.

“The report was a covert disguise for putting ammunition in the hands of the opposition as proven by the assertion made by the United States in (3) above, by which it accepts that it is willing to work with individuals that sabotage Nigeria provided they serve the interest of America.

“The support for the opposition extends beyond tactical backing with reports like the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018 include indirect arming of these groups with weapons that are first supplied to third party countries like Syria from where they will find their way into the hands of these US lackeys in Nigeria. The incursion of the US into Venezuela is a model that the opposition in Nigeria continued to use as blackmail against the government as they vowed to repeat something similar.”