The Federal Government has taken delivery of all the 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets expected from the United States, Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, has said.
The minister disclosed this on Monday during a TV Continental programme.
Describing the fighter jets as “game changer,” the minister said the crafts have been used for operations in the North-east.
“All the 12 Super Tucano fighter jets have been received. As at this morning, all the 12 were here and they have been deployed to the north-east,” he said.
“We can see that the Tucano jets are actually a game changer.
“Most of the successes we have recorded in recent times are because of the acquisition of new platforms, not limited to the Super Tucano.”
He also spoke on the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report which claimed that the Nigerian Air Force paid bandits N20 million in exchange for an anti-aircraft gun.
According to the report, the anti-aircraft gun was stolen by the bandits after a clash with a military unit in Rugu Forest, Katsina state.
The gun was said to have posed a threat to President Muhammadu Buhari who was flying “to his hometown about 80 miles away”.
The air force had described the allegation as “utterly illogical,” saying it could be part of a campaign to worsen insecurity in Nigeria.
Giving his take on the matter, the minister said: “Fortunately, the Air Force immediately debunked this because this exposes their ignorance.
“Between Zamfara, Katsina, parts of Kaduna and Niger states, there are about 150 bandit camps. Who then was the money given to?
“It does not make any sense and it is because they do not understand how bandits operate that is why they can peddle that kind of fake news.”
