The meeting centered on the review of the search-and-rescue operation by troops and the limits of US intervention in the counter-insurgency battle against Boko Haram in Borno State and other parts of the Northeast.
It was learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan accepted the US offer to assist Nigeria to tackle Boko Haram because of the pressure from the opposition and the international community.
Although Jonathan was a bit reluctant in seeking foreign assistance, he felt with pressure from within and outside the country, Nigeria had no choice than to collaborate with any nation willing to help.
The NSA met with the CDS and the Service Chiefs for many hours.
A source said: “The meeting focused on the review of the rescue operation for the 276 abducted girls by troops in the Northeast and alleged mass killing of people in Gamboru-Ngala axis in Borno State.
“Based on clues, troops have made some inroad into Sambisa area but the main challenge is locating the exact camps where the girls are kept.
“Again, the security chiefs prefer to rescue the girls alive than launch outright attack on the insurgents who are using the girls as shield.
“They were also briefed on the acquisition of more surveillance aircraft by the Federal Government to give the counter-insurgency war more bite. The aircraft will be delivered any moment from now.”
It was also learnt that the meeting focused on US assistance, which will be limited to deployment of hi-tech equipment.
Another source added: “Such a session became necessary to build confidence in the Nigerian military and make them to appreciate that the nation is not abandoning them for US troops.
“Going by its records, in terms of capability and courage, Nigerian military is one of the best in the world. But it needs assistance on technological know-how, hi-tech surveillance equipment and specialised drones.
“There was need to clarify the mission of the United States. The scope of the intervention shows that the US is not sending a team of special forces or a unit of marines to Nigeria. It will, however, deploy experts on counter-terrorism and equipment.
“The Nigerian military will still be the pivot of the operations in Borno State and other parts of the Northeast. It is not as if Nigeria is submitting its sovereignty to the US.”
It was also learnt last night that pressure from the opposition and the international community accounted for the acceptance of the US offer.
“The Federal Government was a bit reluctant to seek foreign assistance because intelligence reports have consistently confirmed that the military can curtail the insurgency.
“The government believes the insurgency us mire political than what it is being assumed. So, it is of the opinion that political solution through political and community leaders could assist in addressing the challenges in the Northeast,” another source said.
“The government is circumspect too because Nigerian military is the rallying point for resolving crises in Africa, especially the West Africa sub-region. For a powerful country like Nigeria to now seek foreign assistance might have grave political and military implications,” he said, adding:
“Another reservation from the government is that having foreign intervention in the military operation in Nigeria might open up our flanks. And for some countries like the US, it is usually a case of a surgeon who opens up a patient and without closing up decided to attend to another issue in the next room to the theatre. Military interventions are usually unending.
“But the President had to bow to pressure from the opposition and the international community to accept the US offer with limited engagement.
Source: The Nation
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