Nigerian separatists sue Anthony Blinken, Lloyd Austin over sale of US attack planes
- The Indigenous People of Biafra is asking a judge to direct Blinken and Austin to block the transfer of six US aircraft to Nigeria’s air force
- Nigeria’s government ordered the attack and reconnaissance planes to help it tackle an Islamist insurgency in the northeast of the country
A Nigerian separatist group sued US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin over the sale of attack planes that it says will be used to persecute its supporters.
The organisation is asking a judge to direct Blinken and Austin to block the transfer of six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria’s air force and to seek the return of six that were recently delivered.
Nigeria’s government ordered the attack and reconnaissance planes to help it tackle an Islamist insurgency in the northeast of the country that has lasted more than a decade and claimed more than 30,000 lives.
The Super Tucano propeller aircraft are equipped with precision-guided munitions and have been used for counter-insurgency operations in countries from Afghanistan to Colombia.