Nigeria military needs $1bn to upgrade their equipment

The leadership of the Nigerian Military on Wednesday has reiterated the need
for the $1bn loan sought by the presidency saying that it is imperative as
the funds are being used to upgrade their equipment to meet the challenges
of the moment.
Speaking on telephone to newsmen on the necessity of the loan and how it
would impact on the war against insurgency, the Director, Defence
Information, Major General Olukolade, also noted that “on a regular basis we
require and we are sure we will get the regular upgrading that is required to
conduct this operation properly” adding that “we are encouraged that the
political authorities and Nigerians have appreciated the need for the military
to be properly equipped to handle this operation”.
Olukolade also declared that the Nigerian Army will soon re assert Nigeria’s
sovereignty in portions that have been violated illegally by Boko Haram.
“We are definitely working to reverse all those tendencies. We are not
conceding any portion of this country to a group of terrorists and the
required operation to reverse that is ongoing”, he said, assuring that the
Army “will re assert in a short while the sovereignty of any part of the
country that has been violated illegally by some irresponsible elements.
“We are working to ensure that not just Gwoza as a town, its surroundings
and other portions that terrorists seem to be moving around is secured”. He
further assured Nigerians “that we are sure we will accomplish in a short
while”, he said.
He said the military are already receiving upgraded weapons but stressed
the need for the soldiers to “upgrade their response”.
He further noted that the help received from allies “is improving” at the
moment, but added that “most importantly is the understanding we enjoy
both from our allies in the neighbourhood as well as those who have come
from other countries to assist us.
“In many instances we exchange ideas, we are exchanging intelligence and
much of the cooperation we continue to get and we believe it will keep
improving until our situation for as far as our situation is understood”, he
said.
He further opined that the cooperation by the Multi National Joint Task
Force (MTNJTF) has been enhanced by the Security Summit convened by
French President, Nicholas Sarkozy.
He however, stressed that the partnership to fight insurgency within the
“neighbourhood” has been in place before the Summit, adding that “the
patrol allows us to exchange ideas and various elements of containing
terrorism in the neighbourhood.
“There has been improvement in various elements of patrol, in terms of
equipping, even from the part of Nigeria, to enhance the capability of our
men to join in the patrol to contain the various movement of terrorists
particularly in the Chad Basin area; we have captured a lot of these
terrorists recently” insisting that “there operations has largely been
contained in that area”.
The Army Spokesman further revealed that “we have more patrol boats to
patrol the lake and we are having more joint operations with the troops from
Chad, Niger and Cameroon in both land and water patrol in that area”
He also debunked reports that Nigerian soldiers fled to Cameroon after a
gun duel with suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Gamboru-Ngala, Borno
State.
The Defence Headquarters had on Tuesday confirmed the return of the
troops from Cameroon, adding that they were addressed by the General
Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Major General John Zaruwa, as they embark
on another mission in the Counter Terrorism campaign.
The Nigerian Defence headquarters on Monday clarified issues concerning
Nigerian troops who found themselves in Cameroon during a fierce battle
with terrorists.
The BBC, quoting Cameroon’s army, said that about 480 Nigerian soldiers
fled into Cameroon following fierce fighting with Boko Haram militants.