Nigeria Acknowledges More Foreign Help In Boko Haram Fight

South African troops as well as other foreign soldiers have joined in Nigeria’s offensive against Boko Haram insurgents in the nation’s north east region, engaging in ground combat and flying combat air sorties. (Image source: channelstv.com)

Nigeria has acknowledged it is getting help from regional security operatives following reports that South African and other foreign contractors are assisting in the fight against Boko Haram extremists.

The statement from Nigerian government spokesman Mike Omeri on Thursday came as a spokesman for Islamic State militants, who control part of Iraq and Syria, said the group has accepted a pledge of allegiance from Boko Haram. The Nigerian extremists have been weakened recently by a multinational force that includes Nigerian neighbors Chad and Niger, and the Islamic State is also under pressure from Iraqi troops and allied Shiite militias that have swept into the Iraqi city of Tikrit.

In a statement emailed to The Associated Press, Omeri said Nigeria has extensive experience in coordinating with other African militaries and leading peacekeeping missions across the continent.

"As a result, we are fully capable of enlisting soldiers from outside of Nigeria through the appropriate channels if needed, therefore, there is no cause for Nigeria to do any backchannel or unlawful recruitment," he said.

Omeri noted the involvement of soldiers from regional militaries in the fight against Boko Haram, and said other "individuals" from the region "are on the ground in a capacity limited to training or technical support."

South African Troops, Others Join Fight Against Boko Haram

According to VOA, the Federal Government explained that the foreign military personnel were only advisers accompanying military equipment purchased from South Africa, Russia and Ukraine.

Activities of the extremist group seeking to impose Islamic rule in the region have caused the death of several thousands and displaced over 1 million people in northern Nigeria.

“One soldier, who is living alongside the foreign personnel in a barracks in the city of Maiduguri, identified the foreigners as South Africans, Ukrainians and others. He said they were flying aircraft from the Maiduguri airport.”

The corporal, who was also based in the barracks in Maiduguri, said South African pilots had been flying combat missions using Nigerian jets, surveillance planes and helicopters, along with jets he said appeared to be South African.

“All the aerial attacks are being done by the white soldiers using Nigerian and hired military aircraft,” he said.

Another officer, who served as a top aide to the Commander of a Brigade in Borno state, told VOA there were between 100 and 150 foreign soldiers, mainly South African, working out of Maiduguri and they were flying fighter jets daily, out of the Maiduguri airport.