FG Thanks US For Decision To Sell Aircraft To Fight Insurgency

Almost a month after the United States approved the sale of 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has conveyed Nigeria’s gratitude to the American government for the kind gesture.
Osinbajo, who announced Nigeria’s gratitude on his Twitter handle, said the nation was grateful to the U.S. government for the decision which he said would aid Nigeria’s fight against the insurgency in the North-east.

We are thankful to the U.S. Govt. for its decision to sell Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria to aid its fight against the insurgency in the NE,” the vice-president tweeted.The US Department of Defence had on August 3 approved the sale of 12 attack planes, known as A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, bombs and other ammunition valued at $593 million, to Nigeria.The approval was preceded by the delivery of a certification of foreign military sale to the U.S. Congress, in accordance with the country’s law.

Aside from the original intention to deploy the aircraft to fight Boko Haram in the North-east, the planes will also be used to combat smuggling and trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

The U.S. decision, which came after years of reluctance by the Barack Obama administration, was eventually spurred by a resolve that the security interests of the country needed to be served by providing support to Nigeria in its running battles against terrorism.
Beyond the sale of the planes, the decision also involves the commitment of the U.S. government to provide training and support to the Nigerian military including “instruction on rules of engagement and human rights to help prevent civilian casualties”.