Yusuf Bello| The Minister of Defence, rtd.Major General Bashir Magashi on Tuesday said last Saturday’s rescue operation by the United States special forces on Nigerian soil was not a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
The United States Special forces in that operation rescued an American citizen kidnapped by bandits in the northern part of Nigeria.
But responding to criticism of President Buhari’s over the raid, Magashi said the Nigerian government granted the US necessary permission to carry out the military operation.
The minister who made the disclosure while speaking with journalists shortly after defending his Ministry’s budget at the Senate, said Nigeria gave permission to the United States “as a friendly country” almost as soon as it was contacted by the government.
He ruled out theories that the United States might have violated Nigeria’s sovereignty, adding that Nigeria would continue to explore the current partnership with the United States in the fight against insurgency.
Magashi also explained that the country was doing the best it could in the deployment of military to deploy technology in its operations.
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