DHQ Denies Considering S/African Mercenaries Recruitment

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied any consideration for recruitment of security contractors and mercenaries from South Africa to help Nigerian military in the ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the North-east region.

The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, in a statement issued yesterday expressed concern that the story making the round that it plans to invite mercenaries who once assisted the military operations is totally misleading.

Abubakar was emphatic that the DHQ neither considered, approved nor in the know of any plan for such move.

He said that DHQ is disturbed by the report claiming “that foreign mercenaries are to be used henceforth to fight Boko Haram terrorists in the North East.

 “This story is not only mischievous and unfounded, but lacks iota of truth as the military has the capability and impetus to clear the remnants of the terrorists as it has been doing on daily basis.”

He insisted that Nigeria does not “need any foreign elements because is unnecessary going by our unprecedented successes against the ungodly group,” urging members of the public to ignore the story.

 “Those peddling this rumor had done it before and failed…now they resurface with another baseless and sourceless story which the DHQ  dismissed in its entirety as another story concocted to achieve their selfish interest.”