The Defence Headquarters yesterday insisted that it has not resorted
to the use of mercenaries in the fight to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists
from the Nation’s North East epicenter of the battle on insurgency
noting that such insinuations were the handiwork of blackmailers not
happy with the progress being made by Nigerian troops in the offensive.
There had been insinuations that following the directive given by President Muhammadu Buhari that Boko Haram terrorists be defeated by a December deadline and the Nigerian military sensing it will have difficulty meeting the deadline, resorted to using mercenaries from South Africa, particularly those with experience fighting during the apartheid years.
The mercenaries are also said to be involved in the aspect of aircraft offensive against camps and hideouts of the terrorists in both the Sambisa Forest and other locations because new equipment acquired for troops and the airforce are yet to be properly understood by the Nigerian military.
However, the Defence Headquarters said “The orchestrated campaign is aimed at rubbishing the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies who are working hard to contain the insurgencies in the North East.
In a statement signed by the Acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar, DHQ said, “The attention of the military high command has been drawn to the insinuation by some section of the media that the military has resorted to using mercenaries in the ongoing counterinsurgency operation in the North East.
“The insinuation and the entire story are utterly scurrilous and a calculated attempt to smear the good image of the Nigerian military.
“To this end the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) wishes to state that the military has enough trained soldiers to fight the terrorists in the North East without resorting to the use of mercenaries.
“Also, the military has significantly up-scaled its troops and equipment deployment since the Presidential mandate and does not need mercenaries whether foreign or local to rout out and put an effective end to guerrilla movements in the North East within the allotted time.
“Since the Presidential order the military has been fighting the insurgents more and more effectively and all Nigerians, irrespective of where they live, have come to understand that we are making progress.
“The DHQ therefore wishes to state that the report is a covert campaign of blackmail by disgruntled elements in society designed to pit the Nigerian people against their armed forces.
Continuing Colonel Abubakar said, “These blackmailers are not only unhappy because of the progress the military is making in the fight but more so because their illicit gains in the war has been effectively stopped.
“The Nigerian Armed Forces are doing all that are needed to be done to ensure that the terrorists in the North East and all forms of criminalities are brought under effective control within the shortest possible time.
“The military authority hereby wishes to appeal to the general public to discountenance these unfounded rumours and give the armed forces their support and encouragement in the ongoing war against terror and not give in to cheap blackmail and propaganda.”
It will be recalled that a Turkish News Agency, Anadolu reported that the mercenaries, estimated at around 250 personnel were hired from South Africa-based private contractor ‘Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection (STTEP)’ noting that they are being deployed along with fighter jets in the Operation.
A source at the Defence headquarters was quoted by the agency thus, “The mercenaries have been re-engaged and their platforms are being deployed. By platforms, I mean fighter jets, helos [helicopters], coms [communication], surveillance, medics, etc.”
STTEP includes veterans from the South African apartheid era who will work with and train a Nigerian strike force.
Another army source confirmed to Anadolu Agency that “There is definitely something happening in that direction insisting that the use of mercenaries appears to be the most practical option if headway was to be made against militants whose guerilla tactics are new to the Nigerian military.
During the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan, President Muhammadu Buhari vehemently condemned the alleged use of mercenaries to fight militants as “shameful” prior to the March 2015 election campaign noting that the practice represented the depth of weakness of the Nigerian army.
There had been insinuations that following the directive given by President Muhammadu Buhari that Boko Haram terrorists be defeated by a December deadline and the Nigerian military sensing it will have difficulty meeting the deadline, resorted to using mercenaries from South Africa, particularly those with experience fighting during the apartheid years.
The mercenaries are also said to be involved in the aspect of aircraft offensive against camps and hideouts of the terrorists in both the Sambisa Forest and other locations because new equipment acquired for troops and the airforce are yet to be properly understood by the Nigerian military.
However, the Defence Headquarters said “The orchestrated campaign is aimed at rubbishing the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies who are working hard to contain the insurgencies in the North East.
In a statement signed by the Acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar, DHQ said, “The attention of the military high command has been drawn to the insinuation by some section of the media that the military has resorted to using mercenaries in the ongoing counterinsurgency operation in the North East.
“The insinuation and the entire story are utterly scurrilous and a calculated attempt to smear the good image of the Nigerian military.
“To this end the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) wishes to state that the military has enough trained soldiers to fight the terrorists in the North East without resorting to the use of mercenaries.
“Also, the military has significantly up-scaled its troops and equipment deployment since the Presidential mandate and does not need mercenaries whether foreign or local to rout out and put an effective end to guerrilla movements in the North East within the allotted time.
“Since the Presidential order the military has been fighting the insurgents more and more effectively and all Nigerians, irrespective of where they live, have come to understand that we are making progress.
“The DHQ therefore wishes to state that the report is a covert campaign of blackmail by disgruntled elements in society designed to pit the Nigerian people against their armed forces.
Continuing Colonel Abubakar said, “These blackmailers are not only unhappy because of the progress the military is making in the fight but more so because their illicit gains in the war has been effectively stopped.
“The Nigerian Armed Forces are doing all that are needed to be done to ensure that the terrorists in the North East and all forms of criminalities are brought under effective control within the shortest possible time.
“The military authority hereby wishes to appeal to the general public to discountenance these unfounded rumours and give the armed forces their support and encouragement in the ongoing war against terror and not give in to cheap blackmail and propaganda.”
It will be recalled that a Turkish News Agency, Anadolu reported that the mercenaries, estimated at around 250 personnel were hired from South Africa-based private contractor ‘Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection (STTEP)’ noting that they are being deployed along with fighter jets in the Operation.
A source at the Defence headquarters was quoted by the agency thus, “The mercenaries have been re-engaged and their platforms are being deployed. By platforms, I mean fighter jets, helos [helicopters], coms [communication], surveillance, medics, etc.”
STTEP includes veterans from the South African apartheid era who will work with and train a Nigerian strike force.
Another army source confirmed to Anadolu Agency that “There is definitely something happening in that direction insisting that the use of mercenaries appears to be the most practical option if headway was to be made against militants whose guerilla tactics are new to the Nigerian military.
During the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan, President Muhammadu Buhari vehemently condemned the alleged use of mercenaries to fight militants as “shameful” prior to the March 2015 election campaign noting that the practice represented the depth of weakness of the Nigerian army.
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