Britain’s Royal Air Force plans to send three fighter jets to help
in locating the more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents on
April 14 this year. The RAF Tornado GR4s equipped with surveillance facilities,
according to Daily Mail on Wednesday, will undertake reconnaissance missions
over the Sambissa Forest where the girls are believed to be held. A British
government source told The Times that the jets would help the Nigerian
authorities in tracking the movements of the insurgents. The report however
added that the mission was dependent on a nearby nation giving the British
government the nod to use its runway. A Ministry of Defence spokesman did not
deny the report about the deployment of the planes. He said, The United Kingdom
continues to work with the United States and France as well as Nigeria’s
neighbours and international partners to provide advice and assistance to the
Nigerian government. Together with our allies we have provided continuous
surveillance support to the Nigerian authorities, including satellite imagery.
We are still in discussion with partners on the deployment of further
surveillance capability. Last Friday, Britain’s Minister for Africa, James
Duddridge, had condemned the abduction of over 100 people in Nigeria and had
pledged that the UK would continue to support in the fight against Boko Haram.
He said, I am appalled to see reports of another large abduction by terrorists
in the North- East of Nigeria. Officials at the British High Commission in
Abuja are urgently looking into the details. The UK stands firmly with Nigeria
as it faces the scourge of Boko Haram.
Punch Newspaper
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