The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), declared Tuesday in Abuja that the United States of America, secured the permission of the Federal Government of Nigeria before carrying out last weekend’s military operation by its elite commandos to rescue one of its citizens in the country.
Magashi, who spoke to Journalists shortly after defending his ministry’s 2021 budget proposals before the Senate Committee on Defence , said Nigeria was aware of the operation before it was carried out .
The United States Naval Special Warfare group, the SEAL Team Six, had rescued Philip Walton, held in captivity in Nigeria after he was kidnapped in Niger Republic.
There has been insinuation since then that the Nigerian military and by extension, its government was in the dark about the United States military operation.
But Magashi, during the interview said Nigeria granted the US permission to carry out the military operation and maintained that Nigeria’s sovereignty was not violated.
“There is nothing wrong with a friendly nation taking permission to conduct an operation which is for the mutual good of the countries. That is why we allowed it to happen”, he said.
The minister however expressed concern that Nigeria was handicapped in its war against the insurgents by some “so-called developed countries who want the country to remain the way it is and keep running to them for help.”
He claimed that the military has been able to contain the terror group, Boko Haram, with the available equipment and military personnel available to it.
“It is not meant for the consumption of the public. To be honest but certainly we are making efforts and they have been helping us greatly in areas where we have difficulties and we are still asking for more”, he said .
The minister further assured that Nigeria would continue to explore its current warm relationship with the United States to tackle insurgency in the country.
