Boko Haram: Israel steps in

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Tukur Buratai, yesterday appealed to the Brazilian government to help train Nigerian soldiers in jungle warfare.

This is even as the Israeli government promise to assist Nigeria end Boko Haram insurgency.

Buratai, who made the appeal when he hosted the Deputy Chief of Army Staff for International and Special Affairs, Brazilian Army, Major-General Pereira Junior, in his Abuja office, said the training was necessary to assist Nigeria wipe out insurgency and other security challenges in the country.

The COAS, while commending Brazil for its continuous support to the Nigerian Army, also declared the Army’s readiness to end terrorism soonest.

Responding, Gen. Junior said his team was in Nigeria because of her strategic importance in West Africa and promised his government’s readiness to train Nigerian soldiers at the shortest notice.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to rout Boko Haram insurgents before the end of the year has received a boost, when Israel promised to assist the government achieve the goal.

Mr. Turaki Hassan, Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Speaker Yakubu Dogara, confirmed that the Speaker of Israeli parliament, Knesset, Mr. Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, disclosed this during a meeting with his Nigerian counterpart on the sildelines of the ongoing Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in New York, United States.

Dogara had solicited for Israel’s support to help end Boko Haram and other security challenges, besides pleading with Israel on investments in agriculture, solid minerals, energy and tourism.

Dogara also called for the establishment of Nigeria-Israel parliamentary friendship group to help deepen bilateral relations between both countries.

Responding, Mr. Edelstein said Israel will continue to support Nigeria’s war against terrorism, as according to him, there must be global action against insurgency.

Mr. Edelstein said terrorism is a threat to all nations and as such, the world must unite to fight. He said: “We must unite to fight terrorism and not to group them into their terrorist and our terrorists. Israel is committed to fight terrorism because terrorists use divisions between nations and even democratic countries.”

Dogara had told Mr. Edelstein that the international community must find a global solution to terrorism as no nation is insulated from its scourge. He said Nigeria`s NorthEast where he comes from, has been under Boko Haram occupation and the scale of devastation was unimaginable.

Sunnews