Nigeria boosts Mali troop allotment
2013-01-18 21:01
Abuja - Nigeria has boosted its troop allotment for Mali to
1,200 soldiers from 900 planned earlier as part of an African force aimed at
helping the country retake its Islamist-controlled north, officials said
on Friday.
In a letter to the country's Senate on Thursday, President
Goodluck Jonathan said he had, "in consultation with the National Defence
Council, approved the development of a contingent of 1 200 members of the Armed
Forces."
It said the soldiers would be deployed "for limited
combat duties". Nigeria will also command the African force.
In urging the Senate to approve the deployment, Jonathan
said he had concluded that "our national security is under imminent threat
or danger as a result of the crisis in northern Mali."
The Senate approved the deployment on Thursday, Senator Ita
Enang, chairman of the body's business and rules committee, confirmed on
Friday.
A contingent of 80 Nigerian troops departed for Mali on
Thursday as part of the UN-mandated African force, and military officials spoke
then of a total of only 900 troops. It was not clear when the remainder of the
troops would arrive.
Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejerika, speaking shortly
before the troops left for Mali, made reference to reports that members of
Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram had trained in Mali.
France said it already has 1 400 soldiers in Mali and that
its contingent would gradually be increased to 2 500 troops.
- SAPA
