TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says it will take time before Nigeria gets delivery of fighter jets and other equipment needed to fight insecurity. 

There have been complaints on how lack of equipment has been hindering the fight, especially against insurgency in the north-east. 

But speaking in an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on Friday, the president said after making orders for those equipment, there is also the need to have the military personnel trained on how to handle them. 

“The problem is if you order helicopters, fighter aircraft, tanks, it takes time. We got our vehicles from Jordan, China and these things have to be taken to the institutions where they will train the trainers,” he said.  

“You get people to train Nigerians, stock spare parts before taking them to operational areas. This takes time especially when we don’t have foreign exchange. But if you can talk to some of your colleagues in the air force or army, they’ll tell you they are not where they were in 2015 in terms of equipment and training, it is amazing.

“The Nigeria elite ought to give more time towards the efforts of the governments to physically secure the country, improve the economy and stop corruption.

“Nigerians need to know that we campaigned both in 2015 and 2019 on security because we have to secure our country and establishment, create job opportunities for youths, and fight corruption, no shortcut.”

Earlier in March, the presidency had announced that Nigeria will in July receive six Super Tucano aircraft ordered by the federal government from the United States.

Oladayo Amao, chief of air staff (CAS), had also recently said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is expecting 20 fighter aircrafts before the end of 2021.