Nigeria deploys 1 200 troops to Mali
The Defence Headquarters has so far deployed 1 200 officers and men to the Africa-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA), an official said in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Director of Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, gave the piece of information to newsmen as an update of troop deployment to Mali.
Yerima said the last batch of officers of 162 troops would be transported to Mali on Wednesday by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
He said the batch completed the deployment of troops to AFISMA by Nigeria.
He added that the Charlie C-130 aircraft provided by the British Government would equally transport support equipment to the operation with the NAF C-130.
Yerima used the opportunity to make clarification on the video clip on YouTube allegedly released by the Boko Haram sect in which it listed conditions for the release of the French family it was holding hostage.
He said: “the Defence Headquarters does not make official response to video on the YouTube.
“If the sect wishes to express concern about their members being held, it ought to have channelled its demands through the Joint Task Force’s telephone help lines, which it is conversant with.
“The numbers are 08064174066, 08154429346 and 07064174066.’’