In a statement
signed by presidential spokesman Garba Shehu, the government said the
newspaper’s August 30 story, “Children Face Death by Starvation in Northern
Nigeria" merely repeated a claim from an earlier one on April 12 headed,
"Nigeria Using UK Aid to Persecute President's Political Foes."
In it, the newspaper
had alleged that Nigeria was diverting UK aid monies away from defeating the
Islamist terror group Boko Haram towards those it identified as political
opponents of the Administration, and the government dismissed it as being “as
incorrect as it is unhelpful.”
Pointing out that
claims in both articles were attributed to an unnamed “source” in the United
States, and “Western officials,” the government recalled that when the first
article was published, “it drew the condemnation of the US Embassy in Abuja as
having drawn conclusions directly opposite to the position of the US government.”
It pointed out that
the UK government does not give development aid to the Nigerian administration
for use in military operations against Boko Haram.
“Where British
military support – such as intelligence - is provided, it is precisely and only,
given for operations directly against Boko Haram,” the government said. “Similarly, the Nigerian Government is in no
position to divert aid monies used for emergency relief for refugees or IDP
camps for any other purpose, as these are dispensed directly by DFID, USAID,
the United Nations, the International Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and
many other organizations - with which we enjoy excellent relations.”
Affirming that the
humanitarian challenge in the IDP camps is real, the government said it
remained deeply concerned about the medical, health and nutrition challenges,
and is doing everything with the limited resources at its disposal to improve
the situation.
“However, the blame
for the plight of refugees lies with Boko Haram,” it stated. “They are its cause, not the Nigerian
Government.”
It expressed regret
concerning last week’s attack on the UN humanitarian convoy in the Northeastern
region, saying the government is encouraged by the world body’s determination
to continue rendering assistance to the displaced victims. “That the attack was repelled by Nigerian
troops escorting the convoy shows precisely how the Government and humanitarian
agencies are working together,” it said.
It dismissed claims
that the Administration is targeting Christians and the opposition, saying they
are without foundation. “Since assuming
office, President Buhari has treated all Nigerians without bias for ethnicity
or religion - as the composition of his cabinet and the policies and programmes
of his Administration demonstrate.”
According to the
statement, to suggest that Buhari’s government as deepening Muslim-Christian
division is not only untrue, but plays into the hands of Boko Haram who wish to
divide Nigerians along religious lines, and fighting that militant group is a
key priority of the administration. The
international community, it continued, has widely acknowledged President
Buhari’s determination to defeat terrorism in Nigeria and the entire Lake Chad
Basin.
“There is nothing to
gain by attempting to mould public opinion against these facts,” the government
statement added. “Therefore we invite
The Telegraph to visit Nigeria: to witness first hand not only the challenges
we face, but the Administration’s determination to confront them.”
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