Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states may have been bolstered by United States drones stationed in Niamey, Niger Republic.

The Nigerian government had deployed thousands of troops to the three states after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in their territories on May 14, 2013.

A top intelligence official, who declined to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, told Saturday PUNCH that US drones had been spying on Boko Haram bases in the forests and plains around Nigeria’s borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The source said this was part of assistance provided by the US Government, in its bid to destroy terror bases in West and North Africa.

The security official did not, however, give further details of the spying mission as well as other aspects of US military assistance to the campaign against Boko Haram.

“Yes, it is true. We have got assistance from the United States, including what you mentioned,” he stated.

US President Barack Obama had in February announced that 100 American troops were being sent to the drone base in the Nigerien capital.

The drones had been deployed in missions against Islamist extremists in Mali but may their area of coverage may have now been extended to cover Niger’s border with Nigeria.

Nigerien President Issoufou Mahamadou had told the Associated Press in January that his government invited Washington to send surveillance drones because he was worried that the country might not be able to defend its borders from Islamist fighters based in Mali, Libya or Nigeria.

“We welcome the drones,” Mahamadou said in an interview at the presidential palace in Niamey. Citing the “feeble capability” of many west African militaries, he said Niger and its neighbours desperately needed foreign help to track the movements of guerrillas across the Sahara and Sahel, an arid territorial belt that covers much of the region.

“Our countries are like the blind leading the blind,” he said. “We rely on countries like France and the United States. We need co-operation to ensure our security.”

The Predator drones in Niger are unarmed, US officials said, though they have not ruled out equipping the aircraft with Hellfire missiles in the future.

The US Embassy in Niamey, Niger Republic did not respond to an email on the matter.

When contacted, spokesman for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, denied any collaboration with the US in the campaign.

He said, “This is solely a Nigerian planned operation and we are doing it our own way. This operation is our own and we are doing it in line with best practices. It is Nigerian designed and executed.”

Meanwhile, Nigerian security agents may join the ongoing investigation of two British men, who hacked a soldier to death on Wednesday in Woolwich, United Kingdom.

The two British-born suspects of Nigerian origin, Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are under guard in hospitals after being shot and arrested by police after the murder of 25-year-old Afghan war veteran Lee Rigby on Wednesday in Woolwich in broad daylight. They have not yet been charged.

UK detectives are trying to determine whether the suspects had links to militants in Britain or overseas.

Sources familiar with the investigation have said no sign has emerged so far of direct links between the attack and the Boko Haram insurgency.

British investigators are looking at information that at least one of the suspects may have had an interest in joining Somalia-based Islamist rebel group al Shabaab, which is allied to al Qaeda and Boko Haram, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

A senior State Security Service official told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity on Thursday that although a request had yet to be received from UK authorities, security agents would be ready to aid the investigation of the alleged killer’s possible links to Boko Haram and other terror groups.

He said it was still early for such a request to be sent to Nigeria but noted that the agency was following developments on the matter closely.

Attempts to obtain comments from the SSS spokesperson, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls to her phone.

Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, asid, “We will not discuss that. Talk to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Spokesman for the British High Commission, Robert Fitzpatrick, declined to comment on the matter. He said since British Prime Minister, David Cameron, had issued a statement, there was nothing more to add.

Also speaking, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Ogbole Ahmedu-Ode, said, “Those two are of British nationals but of Nigerian ancestry. I am not aware of any request from the British Government on their roots in Nigeria.”


Source:- http://www.punchng.com/news/us-drones-spy-on-boko-haram/

I knew this since they moved to Niamey four months ago. There's no way our military would have been successful without the help of U.S spy drones in the sky.

[quote author=automaticcarzz]I knew this since they moved to Niamey four months ago. There's no way our military would have been successful without the help of U.S spy drones in the sky.[/quote) Are u a learner? Jtf finished boko haram alone.

U S and their greedy, selfish and yeye tactics, what are they trying to tell us, are they trying to intensify their imperialism on us?

I maybe wrong though, maybe it was a classified agreement between them and our government to do so.

However, I can see that these U K and U S, haven seen and envisaged the prospect of Nigeria, they might be carrying out some serious or dubious plots to destabilize and tear us apart, what's painning me most is; their usage of these an1mals called the boko haram or fanatics, just to paint us blacks and separate us as well.

I find it alarming when top intelligence/government officials reveal classified information to the press. Worse still, they don't want their names mentioned, they definitely know what they're doing is wrong but still go ahead to do so.

automaticcarzz: I knew this since they moved to Niamey four months ago. There's no way our military would have been successful without the help of U.S spy drones in the sky.

So you mean the drones spy is responsible for the discovery of Boko Haram base? Did you read the part where Brig gen Olukayode denied any form of support from the united state?

Guy, if you must know, the JTF is succeeding without any form of support from U.S. For now, we are independent enough to deal with Boko and any other militant group in the north.

When will you stop being inferior?

automaticcarzz: I knew this since they moved to Niamey four months ago. There's no way our military would have been successful without the help of U.S spy drones in the sky.

I don't fancy this kind of mentality.

BEAUTIFUL! what a great news, the drones should equally spy on general Ayatollah and General maradona too

[size=40pt]I KNEW IT!!!!!![/size]

PS - If I am honest...this article seems like our regular yeye journalism. I will have to wait for confirmation from someone who is not anonymous before I believe dis.

JTF are doing good, 4get drones for now

Owkay

Nigerians can believe anything sha.....

With or without Drones, our gallant soldiers were able to destroy and dislodge those boko haram cowards from their bases. America is looking for cheap propaganda.

I think JTF are doing most of the works. This Niger Rep President even admitted that their case is a case of 'blind leading the blind'. What a bitter truth.

I very much doubt that the drones had any role in JTF actions in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. However, the drones are quite useful for tracking fleeing boko haram elements that are trying to cross the border into Niger.

Hopefully those US drones are fully armed with hellfire Missile launchers, such that they can surgically dispatch any terrorist concentrations spotted in the more remote areas of the battlefront, rather than merely send back aerial video footage of enemy encampments, for later action against targets that could have re-located by the time adequate military responses have been brought to bear.

Great!

porous borders mos def need drones.

troops cant provide that round the clock

I imagine how difficult it will be for Boko Haram ooo...with a tracking device monitoring every of their movement up in the sky and the Nigerian soldiers pounding on ground and from the air...always on the trail of their target. Kai no sleep and no where to hide....hehehehe

GEJ had no plans whatsoever to fight Boko Haram headlong.
He obviously does not have the liver.
What we are witnessing is pure arm-twisting by the powers that be that made GEJ rise against the Boko HAramites.
The Northern oligarchy wields enormous powers that it will take more than a lily livered GEJ to square up to.
But squaring up is he because the ultimate military power of the universe has bluntly told him to shape up or ship out.

So now we know, it takes more than `being on top` to be actually on top.
Smoke all the mudafakas out of their pesky holes and finish them all....

.DRONES, NITROGEN BOMBS, anything

I dont believe this story.

rozayx5: JTF are doing good, 4get drones for now

Do you know what drones do ?

Se the drones get rocket na. How come they never blow one or two spots

automaticcarzz: I knew this since they moved to Niamey four months ago. There's no way our military would have been successful without the help of U.S spy drones in the sky.

Drones wud only make it easier and more efficient;not like they wudnt have been successful

.the only thing that caught my mind here is the Senior State Security Official statement that they are on standby practically begging to be invited so that they DRAW UP link between Boko Haram and the two headcases, like WTF, how is that in any way to the benefit of our country.
Sorry to say this, I have heard that Marylin Orga give apologia to the activities of SSS ( and yes, she do it so badly), and now with this show of stupidity from another SSS official, wouldn't it be right to say that our SSS is peopled by OLODOs?

ZACHIE: GEJ had no plans whatsoever to fight Boko Haram headlong.
He obviously does not have the liver.
So now we know, it takes more than `being on top` to be actually on top.
Smoke all the mudafakas out of their pesky holes and finish them all....

.DRONES, NITROGEN BOMBS, anything

On the contrary sir, Johnny B. Goode has done the right thing in asking Uncle Sam to send in some drones to help light up the Boko Haram terror gangs. War is not meant to be gentlemanly sporting endeavor. The object of war is to kill as many of the enemy in the shortest possible time-frame, whilst safeguarding one's own troops and hardware, as well as the civilian population.

If a loitering armed aerial drone can quietly and precisely kill 300 armed terrorists spotted hiding in a remote forest, or up an inaccessible mountain gorge, without having to wait until those terrorists are within striking range of any town or federal troop formation, then the objective of warfare is being met in a very cost-effective and elegant manner that must be applauded, and not derided, by we armchair internet generals.

Go Johnny Go ! When I ask Who Da MAN? You halla Johnny Da MAN !

When I ask Who fittn'a whup they aszes? You halla Johnny ALREADY be whuppin they aszes !

When I ask Who be knowin' what time it is? You halla Johnny be knowin' ALL THAT CHIT!

talktimi: I find it alarming when top intelligence/government officials reveal classified information to the press. Worse still, they don't want their names mentioned, they definitely know what they're doing is wrong but still go ahead to do so.

I thought it was just me o. Now that everyone knows there are drones in place spying on them, it is no longer SPYING.

ZACHIE: GEJ had no plans whatsoever to fight Boko Haram headlong.
He obviously does not have the liver.
What we are witnessing is pure arm-twisting by the powers that be that made GEJ rise against the Boko HAramites.
The Northern oligarchy wields enormous powers that it will take more than a lily livered GEJ to square up to.
But squaring up is he because the ultimate military power of the universe has bluntly told him to shape up or ship out.

So now we know, it takes more than `being on top` to be actually on top.
Smoke all the mudafakas out of their pesky holes and finish them all....

.DRONES, NITROGEN BOMBS, anything

Tales by Moonlight

Evil always begots evil, when next this drones starts attacking percived enemy targets, the disgruntled among them would be blaming the helpless govt. RELIGION IS A PERSONAL THING, NO TWO PERSONS ARE THE SAME. KEEP-OFF EXTRIMISM, DONT FIGHT FOR GOD.

emmysenior: U S and their greedy, selfish and yeye tactics, what are they trying to tell us, are they trying to intensify their imperialism on us?

I maybe wrong though, maybe it was a classified agreement between them and our government to do so.

However, I can see that these U K and U S, haven seen and envisaged the prospect of Nigeria, they might be carrying out some serious or dubious plots to destabilize and tear us apart, what's painning me most is; their usage of these an1mals called the boko haram or fanatics, just to paint us blacks and separate us as well.

If they can tear us apart, it will be the best thing to happen. have we achieved anything as one Nigeria if not death and unnecessary killings? I wonder why some people are so much afraid of disintegration. The earlier we go our separate ways the better. There is no love between us in this fake and hypocritical One Nigeria.

.