As the December deadline set by President Muhammadu Buhari to stamp out Boko Haram insurgency from the shores of Nigeria draws closer, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina yesterday said the Federal government has resolved not to hire mercenaries in its fight against the insurgents.
Adesina, while speaking with The Punch on whether the presidency has plans to seek external military assistance in its fight against terrorists, maintained that foreign mercenaries would not be hired.
The Presidential spokesman noted that Buhari is more confident than ever in the ability of the Nigerian Army to put an end to terrorism from the country.
He however disclosed that the President is appreciative of the foreign military cooperation so far given.
“The position of the president has always been that he believes the military has the capacity to fight terrorism. President Buhari has always made it clear that Nigeria will appreciate support in terms of equipment, training and intelligence. The support the president is seeking is definitely not in terms of manpower or what you will call mercenaries,” Adesina said.
Meanwhile, critics have expressed pessimism in the ability of the nation’s military to live up to the presidential deadline of flushing out the deadly Boko Haram sect by end of this year.
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