Four days after the United States’ Special Military Force successfully rescued an American citizen kidnaped by bandits in Northern Nigeria, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), has opened up on the operation.
He says, Nigeria granted the US permission to carry out the military operation.
Magashi said Nigeria gave permission to the United States “as a friendly country” almost as soon as it was contacted by the government.
He ruled out theories that the United States might have violated Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The minister disclosed this in an interview with journalists shortly after his budget defense at the Senate on Tuesday.
It is the first official statement by the Nigerian government regarding the US military operation on its soil.
Responding to questions on the need for the Nigerian military to deploy more of technology in the fight against insecurity, Magashi said Nigeria is handicapped at the moment by some “so-called developed countries who want the country to remain the way it is and keep running to them for help.”
He however said the country is doing the best it can with what is available to the military.
The Minister further said that Nigeria will explore the current partnership with the United States to tackle insurgency in the country.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
