By Haruna Salami
Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) has opened up on United States Special military Force that successfully rescued an American citizen kidnapped by bandits in Northern Nigeria saying that Nigeria granted the US permission to carry out the military operation.
Magashi who described the United States “as a friendly country” said as soon as Nigeria was contacted by the US government, Nigeria granted the request ruling out theories that the United States might have violated Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The Minister disclosed in an interview with journalists shortly after the budget defense of the Ministry of Defence at the Senate on Tuesday.
This was the first official statement by the Nigerian government regarding the US military operation on its soil.
In responce to questions on the need for the Nigerian military to deploy more technology in the fight against insecurity; Magashi said Nigeria is “handicapped at the moment as developed countries don’t want us to have this technology”
He however said the country was 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.
