United States President Barack Obama has approved the release of $35 million to France to help it in its military assistance to Chad, Niger and Mali in their fight against terrorism.

Obama, in a press statement on Friday directed the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, to immediately ensure the prompt release of the financial assistance to the French who have been backing the three African nations in their battle against extremists.

“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the draw-down of up to $35 million in defense services of the Department of Defense to provide assistance to France in its efforts to secure Mali, Niger, and Chad from terrorists and violent extremists, and to make the determinations required under such section to direct such a draw-down,” the statement said.

The latest move by the American government has further shown the strained relationship between it and the Nigerian government as the latter is not included in the aid package.

It would be recalled Nigeria halted a military training program with the Americans in 2014 after the Washington allegedly frustrated Nigeria’s effort to buy arms to prosecute the war against insurgency.

Efforts by the Nigerian government to procure US-made Cobra fighter-helicopters from Israel had met stiff opposition from the US.

The Israeli government under military trade terms with the US cannot transfer the military helicopters to another foreign country except the US government approved it.

The United States has severally criticized the poor handling of the abduction of the Chibok girls by the Jonathan led administration. It had equally decried the massive corruption in the Nigerian government and the Nigerian military’s poor human rights record.

A few days ago, the American government had indicated its readiness to work closely with the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari.

Also last week, top US government officials at a gala night organized by Times magazine promised that the US will do more to assist Nigeria in its search for the missing Chibok girls.