We don’t need mercenaries to fight Boko Haram - DHQ

The military yesterday dismissed reports that it will use foreign mercenaries in the fight against Boko Haram.


The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said the Armed Forces has the “capacity and capability” to clear remnants of Boko Haram terrorists from the Northeast without help from mercenaries.

A newspaper (not The Nation) on Wednesday said the Army had concluded plans to re-absorb South African mercenaries who fought with the Army in 2014.

But Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. General Rabe Abubakar, yesterday dismissed the report as mischievous.

“This story is not only mischievous and unfounded, but lacks merit and is far from the truth. The DHQ wishes to state, with emphasis, that the Armed Forces has the capacity and capability to clear remnants of the terrorists from our land and that is what the military has been doing,” he said.

Abubakar said it was unnecessary to go for mercenaries after the war against Boko Haram had been won.

He noted that the pocket of attacks witnessed in the last few days are isolated cases and do not call for serious concern.

The acting director said such attacks were not uncommon in areas once infested by terrorist groups.

“Those peddling rumours on the use of mercenaries are mischievous; they have done it before and failed and are at it again. Surely, they will fail again.

“The success recorded against the deadly sect without seeking external force is there for all to see. The DHQ, therefore, urges our patriotic citizens to ignore the senseless talk and dismiss the story in its entirety as it was concocted to serve inglorious selfish interests.”