Nigeria’s effort to rout Boko Haram received a boost yesterday when the United Kingdom announced it would increase its military backing to combat the insurgents.

Already, Britain has 130 troops on ground. But during a visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said Britain will increase the number of its troops to 300 next year, explaining that London “stand united with Nigeria in its effort to defeat the militants.

“For this year, for example, we have about 130 military personnel here. Next year, more than 300 are coming to offer training and particularly improve the Army’s resilience to Improvised Explosive Devices,” he said.

Fallon had met with President Muhammadu Buhari and Defence Minister Dan Ali to discuss Nigeria’s security challenges and the status of the bilateral UK-Nigeria defence relationship.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the spokesperson of the British High Commission, Abuja, Mr Joe Abugu, said, “the deployment of the new teams and expanding the package of UK assistance builds on the programme of Short Term Training Teams (STTT), many from the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment, providing assistance to our Nigerian partners throughout 2015.”

Abugu said: “The training uplift announced by Fallon supports work already carried out by the UK’s resident British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT).

BMATT has also grown in size since the government announced last year that the UK would increase its training and capacity building in Nigeria, the statement said. Almost 1,000 Nigerian soldiers benefited from the training to prepare them for counter-insurgency operations in Boko Haram held areas.

These have included, training in infantry skills, civil-military affairs, media operations, command and leadership, IED-awareness, and support to Nigerian military training schools and establishments.

“Together with our continued support to a Nigerian intelligence and analysis cell focused on the North-East and based in Abuja, almost 30 UK military personnel are now deployed in Nigeria on an enduring basis in training and advisory roles,” the statement added.

source http://sunnewsonline.com/new/boko-haram-more-british-troops-coming-uk/


meanwhile,

Eleven people were killed when three female suicide bombers attacked Benisheik town, in Borno State on Monday, a vigilante source told SaharaReporters.

Also, the police in Gombe State said three policemen and two civilians were killed during an attack on Triacta Construction Company’s quarters by gunmen in Buba Shango area of Gombe metropolis.

The Gombe State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the attack while speaking with newsmen in Gombe on Monday.

He said the incident occurred on Saturday night and investigation into the matter had commenced.

“For now, we are not going to pre-empt the investigators, we are waiting for them to carry out their duties to a logical conclusion and we will let you know their findings later,” he said.

According to him, the officers lost their lives while trying to repel the attack.

The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that the two civilians were a security guard and a generator technician.

It was further learnt that the contractors had travelled for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The female suicide bombers, SaharaReporters quoting a vigilante source, killed the 11 people on Sunday night.

He said the attackers comprised three teenage females, who stormed a checkpoint and detonated IEDs they had on them.

The bombers and six villagers were killed, while over 30 others were injured.

“They killed four women and two men as well as the bombers, also the injured persons have been taken to Maiduguri for treatment,” SaharaReporters quoted Lawan Musa as saying.

A hospital source at the Maiduguri State Specialist Hospital said that two of the victims were brought into the hospital dead, while 30 others who were injured were receiving treatment. The victims, he added, had been buried.

source: http://www.punchng.com/16-killed-in-borno-explosions-gombe-attack/

cc ; lalasticlala, seun, obinoscopy

But, in other news "We Will Get Rid Of BH By December 2015.. Buhari & APC have 9days left 2 fulfil their promise

Troops will be coming mehn when Boko has depleted north abi, everytym troops will be coming! But still no show

Good news

This their coming everyday isn't helping oh, if these guys are going to help us they should help us & stop playing the big boy stuff abeg, bokoharam is fast killing more than malaria