The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, sued the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin over the sale of A-29 Super Tucano Aircraft to Nigeria which they say would be used on their supporters.
This was revealed in a report by Bloomberg on Monday after Constitutional lawyer, Bruce Fein filed the case on behalf of IPOB and 10 unidentified persons in a federal court in Washington.
IPOB is seeking a judge to order the Secretary of State and Defense Secretary to block the transfer of six A-29 Tucano aircraft to Nigeria.
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According to the report, IPOB’s lawyer said the U.S, by allowing Nigeria to receive six Super Tucano planes on July 21 violated laws that are supposed to “shield citizens of foreign sovereigns from harm caused by United States weapons in the hands of security forces guilty of gross human rights violations.”
What you should know
Nairametrics reported last week that the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) announced that the first batch of the twelve A-29 Super Tucanos ordered by the FG has arrived, as six Tucanos arrived in Nigeria from the United States.
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The Super Tucano Aircraft, which has been described as devastatingly effective against covert insurgents was approved for sale to the Nigerian Government by the Trump-led US administration to support Nigeria’s military operations against terrorist organizations, Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa, and Nigeria’s efforts to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.
This deal came after the Obama-led US government reportedly refused to help Nigeria with military equipment to fight insurgency in the country.
