FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

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U.S. Government Helps Nigeria Fight Terrorism, Lifts Obama Block on Aircraft Sale

May 1, 2018 (EIRNS)—The Trump administration delivered on its promise to help Nigeria fight terrorist Boko Haram as President Donald Trump and President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria met April 30, the first official visit of an African head of state to the United States under the Trump Presidency.

It was announced that the U.S. government is finally selling 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria, a sale which had been blocked by the Obama regime under human right pretexts.

The aircraft are badly needed by the Nigerian military to fight Boko Haram. The Super Tucano A-29 aircraft, an agile, turbo-prop, with both reconnaissance and surveillance and also attack capabilities, is made by Brazil’s Embraer. A second production line is in Florida, in a partnership between Embraer and privately held Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks, Nevada.

Such aircraft are ideal for fighting Boko Haram terrorists in their strongholds on and around Lake Chad, in places which ground forces have difficulty reaching.

At their joint press conference, President Trump commended President Buhari for the success recorded in the fight against corruption. In his remarks, Buhari among other things said that Nigeria wants to “diversify our own economy by focusing on agriculture and food security; power and infrastructure.”