Why FG is yet to deploy tucano jets in N/West — Presidency

The presidency says before the Tucano jets acquired from the United States can be deployed in the banditry-ravaged North West, the terms of agreement for the purchase of the aircraft need to be adhered to so that Nigeria will not be in the “black book” of the US.

A presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said this while featuring on Trust TV.

“The military is a trained military. The president is responsible. If he finishes now, we want him to go and rest in Kaduna or Daura, we don’t want him to go to the International Criminal Court, that is not the idea. We should allow the military to use their methodical process for dealing with these things, let them do it.

“When you are dealing with countries like America, you have to be sensitive to public opinion which is important to them as it is to us. Yes, it is clear when they sold the super Tucano to the government of Nigeria. They were looking at the law. The law does not allow you to use weapons on targets they classify as civilians otherwise America will no longer sell weapons to you. Don’t forget that it took a buildup of years of rejection until President Buhari came in the scene and was able to establish credibility with America and they said they would sell.

“It is true that from the beginning, the Air Force could not use the aircraft in the North West and even after that, it took some time because these things also use precision type weapon. From my own understanding, these were not to be made available until March, we are just into April.”