S’African special forces to train Nigerian soldiers – Minister

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Friday, March 11th, 2016

S’African special forces to train Nigerian soldiers – Minister

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Fidelis Soriwei

The Ministry of Defence has said Nigeria is not asking South Africa to deploy its special forces to assist in the fight against Boko Haram.

Reports on Tuesday had said the Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali said during a meeting with his South African counterpart Ms.Nobise Mapisa-Nqakula in Abuja on Monday discussions on the deployment of the South African special forces had reached an advanced stage.

However, spokesman for the minister Col. Tukur Gussau said in a statement on Thursday South Africa would only assist in the training of Nigerian forces.

Gussau said Nigeria had not asked the Southern African nation to deploy its special forces against Boko Haram.

Gusau said Dan-Ali was in South Africa last week to discuss ways of strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.

He said the Abuja meeting between Dan-Alli and Mapisa-Nqakula was a follow-up to the earlier one in South Africa, adding that the focus was on bilateral security issues.

The statement read in part,”During the Monday meeting at the Ship House, Ministry of Defence Abuja, issues bordering on the transfer of skills, technology, research and development were discussed.

“Nigeria also recognised the expertise of South Africa in the area of training special forces for counter-insurgency operations.

“Therefore, Nigeria seeks cooperation in the area of training and transfer of skills for our own forces from the South Africa National Defence Force.”

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