‘Nigeria’s Air Force virtually non-existent,’ President says

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria’s Air Force is virtually non-existent.

Buhari also said that there isn’t enough fire-power in the country to ensure the victory of the nation's troops over Boko Haram.

The President made the comments on Monday, July 27, 2015, while speaking on Good Morning Nigeria, a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme.

Buhari said:

“The US has high technology, and of course the other developed countries like China. Our case is lack of capacity and effective Air Force. The Air Force is virtually non-existent. The fixed wings aircraft are not very serviceable. The helicopters are not serviceable and they are too few.”

“We need Air Force to conduct reconnaissance and support the ground troops. The arrangement made by the former government will soon expire. We have made this clear to the Americans and we have made it clear to G7 and we need their cooperation.”

Buhari however didn’t respond when he was asked if the US had agreed to provide the much-needed fire-power to Nigeria.

The Nigerian President, during a recent official visit to the US, had spoken out against the Leahy Law, which prohibits the US from selling weapons to Nigeria due to allegations of human rights abuse levelled against the African nation’s troops.

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Watch video of Buhari's interview with the US Institute of Peace below: