The Federal Government yesterday dismissed as fake news reports of an $875 million ammunition deal with the US.
Background
The influential US magazine, Foreign Police, had reported on Tuesday that “U.S. lawmakers are holding a proposed sale of attack helicopters to Nigeria amid mounting concerns about the Nigerian government’s human rights record as its military grapples with multiple security crises at once.”
It said: “The top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have delayed clearing a proposed sale of 12 AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters and accompanying defence systems to the Nigerian military, pausing a deal worth some $875 million, according to U.S. officials and congressional aides familiar with the matter.
FG reacts
Speaking with newsmen on Friday in Abuja, the Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said the Federal Government was not aware of any such deal, which some US lawmakers purportedly blocked earlier in the week.
According to him, there is no contract of such nature and sum between Nigeria and the US.
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He said: “There is no contract of arms between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the United States of America today apart from the 12 Super Tucano attack helicopters of which six had been delivered.
“We are quite satisfied with the progress and cooperation that we received from the government of the US on this issue.
“As a matter of fact, six of the Tucano helicopters will be launched on August 3, this year.
“We are not aware of the so called 875 million USD arms contract or some helicopters which they said some lawmakers in the US are trying to persuade the president of the US not to honour
The Minister explained that apart from the 12 AH-I-Cobra attack helicopters of which Nigeria has taken delivery of six, the government is not aware of any contract as being speculated.
While noting that the received AH-1-Cobra Attack helicopters would be launched sometime in August, the Minister added that the Federal Government is “quite satisfied with the progress and cooperation that we received from the government of the US on this issue”.
