President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the immediate deployment of troops to Mali.
Towards this end, the Force Commander, Major General S.U. Abdulkadir, is already on ground in Mali awaiting the arrival of the troops.
Director of Defence Information, Colonel Mohammed Yerima, announced this development at an emergency press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that a technical team of the Nigerian Army and Airforce was already in Mali to facilitate the eventual full deployment of fighter aircraft and support element.
According to him, the Nigerian troops would work with troops from other West African countries and some Western forces, including French troops, who are already on ground.
The defence spokesman, noted that the degenerating crisis in Mali compelled the ECOWAS heads of government to intervene with a deployment of their military forces.
He said the decision was also in line with Nigeria's acclaimed peace keeping roles and in the spirit of African brotherhood.
He added that following the request of the Malian government, the United Nations security council resolution 2085 of December 2012 approved the deployment of ECOWAS security forces to assist Mali in reclaiming its North from Islamic militants.
Answering questions on the policing of the borders, he said that other security agencies would oversee the borders so that the dislodged Islamists do not find their way into the country.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant- General Azubuike Ihejirika, in an interview after the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, told the Nigerian Tribune that the army had made elaborate preparations for the deployment of troops.
He said Nigeria was going with a robust force, and for logistics, which he said was paramount in an operation of this nature.
He further said that the security of Mali affects the security of Nigeria because it is a question of a few hours arrive from Nigeria's border to that of Mali.
He also disclosed that Mali had been one of the training grounds, where the terrorists operating in Nigeria were trained, so it is important that Mali is kept safe including Niger which is the immediate neighbour. (32)
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