United Kingdom Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on Monday announced his government's support to the Nigerian armed forces to help combat Boko Haram.
Fallon made this known while briefing newsmen at the British High Commission in Abuja.
According to him, the move is to broaden the deep relationship and re-energise the bilateral cooperation between both countries.
He said that the intention was to double the number of British personnel deployed on training tasks in Nigeria in the coming year, with up to 300 expected to provide support in 2016.
The defence secretary also said that a specialist team would be deployed to provide assistance and advice in countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and medical training.
Fallon said that a new Royal Air Force (RAF) training team would also be deployed to improve the knowledge and skills of the Nigerian Air Force in airfield defence and counter-insurgency.
According to him, Boko Haram is a brutal organisation that has murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians.
``We stand united with Nigeria in its efforts to defeat them.
``Stepping up our training efforts will help support the Armed Forces of Nigeria for crucial counter-insurgency operations.’’
He said that he had earlier paid a courtesy on President Muhammadu Buhari and Defence Minister Dan Ali, to discuss the country’s security challenges and the status of the bilateral UK-Nigeria Defence relationship.
Fallon explained that the deployment of the new teams and expanding the package of UK assistance builds on the programme of Short-Term Training Teams (STTT).
``Many of these teams were from the @nd Battalion the Royal Anglican Regiment, providing assistance to our Nigerian partners throughout 2015.
``Overall, around 130 UK military personnel have been deployed to Nigeria on a wide range of training tasks in 2015.
``These included training in infantry skills, civil-military affairs, media operations, command and leadership, IED-awareness, and support to Nigerian military training schools and establishments.
``Almost 1,000 Nigerian military personnel benefitted from training to prepare them for counter-insurgency operations in North-East Nigeria,’’
Fallon said that the training uplift would support work already carried out by the UK resident British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT).
``BMATT has also grown in size since the government announced last year that the UK would increase its training and capacity building in Nigeria.
``Together with our continued support to a Nigerian intelligence and analysis cell focused on the North-East and based in Abuja, almost 30 UK military personnel are now deployed in Nigeria,’’ he said. (NAN)
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