Almost a month after the United States
approved the sale of 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria,
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has conveyed Nigeria’s gratitude to the
American government for the kind gesture...
Osinbajo, who announced Nigeria’s gratitude on his Twitter handle, said
the nation was grateful to the U.S. government for the decision which he
said would aid Nigeria’s fight against the insurgency in the
North-east.
“We are thankful to the U.S. Govt. for
its decision to sell Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria to aid its fight
against the insurgency in the NE,” the vice-president tweeted.
The US Department of Defense had on August 3 approved the sale of 12 attack planes, known as A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, bombs and other ammunition valued at $593 million, to Nigeria.
The approval was preceded by the delivery of a certification of foreign military sale to the U.S. Congress, in accordance with the country’s law.
The US Department of Defense had on August 3 approved the sale of 12 attack planes, known as A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, bombs and other ammunition valued at $593 million, to Nigeria.
The approval was preceded by the delivery of a certification of foreign military sale to the U.S. Congress, in accordance with the country’s law.
The aircraft are reportedly equipped
with “wing-mounted machine guns, weapons integration with advanced
surveillance… precision-guided bombs, and even air-to-air missiles”.
Aside the original intention to deploy the aircraft to fight Boko Haram
in the North-east, the planes will also be used to combat smuggling and
trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.
The U.S. decision, which came after
years of reluctance by the Barack Obama administration, was eventually
spurred by a resolve that the security interests of the country needed
to be served by providing assistance to Nigeria in its running battles
against terrorism.
Beyond the sale of the planes, the decision also involves the commitment of the U.S. government to provide training and support to the Nigerian military including “instruction on rules of engagement and human rights to help prevent civilian casualties”.
Beyond the sale of the planes, the decision also involves the commitment of the U.S. government to provide training and support to the Nigerian military including “instruction on rules of engagement and human rights to help prevent civilian casualties”.
Trump’s US Ready to Support Nigeria
Meanwhile, the Donald Trump
administration, which approved the sale of the military hardware, has
reiterated its readiness to support the Nigerian government to
accomplish its mission of defeating the Boko Haram insurgency and
restore normalcy in the North-east.
Senator Christopher Coons, Head of the U.S. Congress Delegation, stated this during an assessment visit Tuesday to the Theater Command of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and epicenter of the insurgency.
Senator Christopher Coons, Head of the U.S. Congress Delegation, stated this during an assessment visit Tuesday to the Theater Command of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and epicenter of the insurgency.
Coons said the visit was designed to
appraise the performance of the military and to enable him to understand
the challenges facing the Nigerian Armed Forces in accomplishing its
mission to defeat the insurgents.
“I am pleased to head the delegation of the U.S. Congress; three Senators and three House members to come and hear about the hard work of the military in the North-east of Nigeria.
“I am pleased to head the delegation of the U.S. Congress; three Senators and three House members to come and hear about the hard work of the military in the North-east of Nigeria.
“The U.S. is strongly supporting the
hard work of the military in combating terrorism and we are glad for the
opportunity to know how we can support Nigeria in combating terrorism,”
he said.
Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, said the visit would strengthen the relationship between the Nigerian government and the U.S.
Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, said the visit would strengthen the relationship between the Nigerian government and the U.S.
Attahiru said the delegation visited the
Army Command and Control Center to appraise its performance and
determine how they could support the military to accomplish the counter
insurgency operations.
“The U.S. promised that it will soon equip the military with fighter jets and other state-of-the-art combat equipment to enable us to root out Boko Haram from their enclaves once and for all,” he said.
“The U.S. promised that it will soon equip the military with fighter jets and other state-of-the-art combat equipment to enable us to root out Boko Haram from their enclaves once and for all,” he said.
He observed that the refusal of the U.S.
to sell weapons to Nigeria in the past was caused by the absence of
commitment on the part of the government in power at that time, but
explained that the American government had shown interest as a result of
the zeal of the present government.
Members of the U.S. Congress delegation included Senators Gary Peters, Michael Bennet and Representatives Lisa Rochester, Terri Sewel, Charlie Dent, Barbara Lee and Fedrica Wilson, among others.
Members of the U.S. Congress delegation included Senators Gary Peters, Michael Bennet and Representatives Lisa Rochester, Terri Sewel, Charlie Dent, Barbara Lee and Fedrica Wilson, among others.
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