The United States Department of Defence has informed the US Congress that it has sold 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground attack aircraft and weapons to Nigeria in order to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.
According to a report by Reuters, the Pentagon communicated the sale of the 12 ground attack aircraft valued at $593m (N181bn) to the US Congress on Monday, quoting Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency as having made the announcement to the US legislature.
The Super Tucano A-29, “an agile, propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance and surveillance as well as attack capabilities, is made by Brazil’s Embraer.”
It would be recalled that the US had in April, this year, agreed to sell high-tech aircraft to Nigeria to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.
At the time, US officials disclosed to the Associated Press that the Congress was expected to receive formal notification within weeks, setting in motion the deal with Nigeria, adding that the arrangement would call for Nigeria purchasing up to 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft with sophisticated targeting gear.
It would also be recalled that the United States had blocked Nigeria from acquiring the Super Tucano ground attack aircraft from Brazil in November, 2016 because of allegations of human rights violations against the Nigerian military.
