Nigeria, Boko Haram Not Our Priority - Ex US Army Chief

The Executive Dean, College of Criminal Justice and Security at the University of Phoenix, Major Gen. James ‘Spider’ Marks, has said that the growing insecurity and pogrom in the North-eastern part of Nigeria is not a priority to the United States of America.



Marks, who retired after 30 years of service in the US Army, said this in an interview on CNN, which has since gone viral.



Responding to questions on why over 40 world leaders including about four million people took to the streets in France when 17 people were killed by terrorists recently, whereas during the same period, over 2,000 people were allegedly massacred in Baga, Borno State without any global outcry, the ex-military general maintained that Nigeria and the entire black Africa was not a priority for the US.



He explained: “The stack difference is that while world leaders are in complete solidarity and outrage against what happened in France vis-à-vis Nigeria. Truly, that should be surprising because what is happening in Nigeria is real madness, but it is not a priority.



“The United States can do anything it needs to do to rid Nigeria of Boko Haram, it could be a long-term effort, but it can be done. The US has the capability, we have all the elements and power, but it is not a priority.”



Continuing, he said: “This is the problem, we are committed elsewhere in the world, but black or Western Africa is not the priority. That is the case right now and it may be hard to say. Boko Haram is a regional issue.



“But if it appears in some other regions of the world, like white Africa, which is North Africa, or in the Middle East or somewhere else, we would be alarmed. But it is a regional issue.”



About 2,000 people were said to have been killed in Baga. However, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) last week put the figure of those massacred at 150, while satellite images released by Amnesty International showed the large-scale destruction in the area.



http://ift.tt/1CvlcPS