Four days after United States Special military Force successfully rescued an American citizen kidnapped by bandits in Northern Nigeria; Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) has opened up on the operation; saying that 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 government; ruling out theories that the United States might have violated Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The Minister disclosed in an interview with journalists shortly after his budget defense at the Senate on Tuesday.
It’s 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 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.
