FG granted US forces permission to rescue kidnapped American citizen says Minister

The Federal Government on Tuesday ruled out theories that the United States might have violated Nigeria’s sovereignty following the recent rescue operation on Nigerian soil.

The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd.), who spoke to newsmen shortly after he defended his Ministry’s budget at the Senate said the nation’s sovereignty was in no way violated in the process.

The United States Special Military Forces had last weekend rescued an American citizen kidnapped by bandits in the northern part of the country.

The development had elicited reactions from several quarters, with some accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to protect the nation’s sovereignty. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) specifically said the development further exposed the wrath in the nation’s security architecture.

But, the Defence minister said the Nigerian government granted the US necessary permission to carry out the military operation.

Magashi said the country was doing the best it could with what was available to the military to deploy adequate technology in its operations.

The minister, however, said that Nigeria would explore the current partnership with the United States to tackle insurgency in the country