The United Kingdom, through the British Armed Forces, has donated N1billion highly technical military equipment to the North East Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigerian Army as part of measures to mitigate the impact of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and enhance the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.
BusinessDay reports that the items donated to the Nigerian Army are highly technical and non-technical equipment worth £450,000 meant to enhance the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency to foster the partnership between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
Speaking at the hand-over of the equipment at the Theatre Command Training School, Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri, on Friday, Martins Leach, a Colonel and Deputy Commander, British Defense Staff, said, “I am delighted to be here today, to hand over this equipment and mark another development in the strong partnership between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
”The United Kingdom stands with the Nigeria in the continue fight against violent extremists organisations in the North-East”.
He added that the British Army had deployed a team of British Military personnel to Operation Hadin Kai to train Nigerian troops on the detection, recovery and detonation of IEDs.
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Responding, Wahidi Shuabu, a Major-General and Theater Commander of the North-East Joint Operation Hadin-Kai, said, “Training and equipment are the cornerstone of any capacity building.
“I am delighted to witness the hand-over of counter-explosive device equipment to the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria have enjoyed much support from the British Military in terms of equipment and training.
“Today the handing over of these explosive detection equipment will mitigate the cases of IEDs explosion and ambushes.”
He however assured the United Kingdom and the British Military in particular, that the equipment would be put to good use, stressing that the counter-IED equipment and the previous support from the British Military were a testimony of the UK Government’s seriousness to the counter-insurgency fight in the North-East, Nigeria.
Shuabu also commended the Chief of Defence Staff and Army General, Christopher Musa; the Chief of Army Staff and Army Lieutenant General, Taoreed Lagbaja and other Service Chiefs for their support in Operation Hadin-Kai.
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