Nigeria-US Military cooperation: Defence Minister urges speedy release of Super Tucano Aircraft

The Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), has said that Nigeria Defence Space Administration will be equipped technologically through a partnership with the US Space Force to enhance its capabilities to fight insecurity in the country.

Gen. Magashi stated this while playing host to a five-man US delegation led by the Secretary, US Air Force, Barbara Barrett at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Ship House Abuja.

A statement issued by Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri, said the Minister noted that efficient and effective space management by the Defence Space Administration (DSA), is germane to the successful operations of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies in the effort to defeat insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.

The statement said the minister appealed to the US secretary to speed up the release of the Super Tucano Aircraft undergoing procurement by the Federal Government which will boost the campaigns by the Nigerian Air Force to demystify the criminal elements in their various hideouts in the forests.

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‘’The Minister assured the US delegation that the Federal Government under the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, will continue to strengthen military cooperation with the US in the areas of shared interests such as training, exchange programmes and procurement of weapons in the nation’s bid to overcome her security challenges.’’

‘’Barbara Barrett who is the fourth woman and 25th to occupy the position as Air Force Secretary comprising of Air Force and US Space Force Areas of Responsibility (AoR), described Nigeria as the destination of choice in Africa for partnership in harnessing space assets through the instrumentality of science and technology in national defence.’’

According to the statement, She assured the Minister of Defence that the already established military cooperation between Nigeria and the US will be taken to the next level to promote peace and tranquillity in the country.

‘’The interface between the US delegation and  Nigeria attracted the presence of the new Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Musa Istifanus,  Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddiq Baba Abubakar and the Defence Attache in Washington DC, Air Commodore J. Usman.’’