USA Finally Agrees To Sell Fighter Jets To Nigeria

The United States on Wednesday reiterated its continued support for Nigeria’s military campaign against the Boko Haram. The nation’s fight against the insurgents has seen the decimation of the North East and a recent approval for the withdrawal of $1bn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) for the sole purpose of executing the war.

The US ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, gave assurances that the US would not falter in its support. He said this as he presented the Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, in respect of the A29 Super Tucano Aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

According to a statement signed by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, the LOA represents the official US government offer to sell US defence articles and services to the Nigerian government. The statement said: “The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, today (Wednesday) presented the Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) in respect of the A29 Super Tucano Aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

"The LOA represents the official U.S Government offer to sell U.S defence articles and services to the Nigerian Government. "Speaking while presenting the LOA to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at NAF Headquarters in Abuja, the U.S Ambassador noted that peaceful co-existence in Nigeria was strategic to the security of the entire West African sub-region in particular and the entire world at large.

"Accordingly, Ambassador Symington expressed the commitment of the U.S Government to helping Nigeria completely defeat the Boko Haram terrorists and also eliminate all forms of terrorism from its territory.“In addition, he conveyed the US Government’s belief that the capacity of the NAF could greatly be enhanced by the acquisition of the SuperTucano Aircraft.

"The US Ambassador also indicated the readiness of relevant U.S Government officials to work with NAF officials to facilitate the early delivery of the aircraft once payment had been made. In that regard, officials of both the U.S Government and the NAF would be meeting in early January 2018 to jointly study the LOA prior to subsequent endorsements by both parties.”