Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired Major General Bashir Magashi, has pleaded with the United States of America to expedite the release of the combat action Super Tucano aircraft procured by the Federal Government to boost military operations.

Magashi made the call when the Secretary of the US Air Force, Barbara Barrett, led a five-man delegation to the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri announced this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

The minister said the quick delivery of the aircraft would help the Nigerian Air Force to demystify the criminal elements in their various hideouts in the forests.

He also said the Nigeria Defence Space Administration would be equipped technologically through a partnership with the US Space Force to enhance its capabilities to fight insecurity in the country.

According to him, efficient and effective space management is germane to the successful operations of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies in the effort to defeat insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.

Magashi assured the delegation that Nigeria would continue to strengthen military cooperation with the US in the areas of shared interests such as training, exchange programmes and procurement of weapons in the nation’s bid to overcome security challenges.
US Air Force Secretary Barrett had earlier said that Nigeria was a destination of choice in Africa for partnership in harnessing space assets through the instrumentality of science and technology in national defence.

She noted that the already established military cooperation between Nigeria and US would be taken to the next level to promote peace and tranquility in the country.