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.”
saharareporters.com/2016/08/01/nigerian-government-accuses-london-telegraph-strengthening-boko-haram-terrorism

Nd hw does diz return d price of one bottle of kerosene to #80 :/