The United Kingdom is set to send scores of troops to Nigeria to help it fight Boko Haram militants.
Up to100 British soldiers are being lined up for a mission to train the Nigerian army in its fight against the Takfiri militants, the Telegraph reported on Saturday.
The report quoted a senior military source as saying that: “We have a small military training mission in Nigeria of only around a dozen. We are thinking of boosting that by maybe up to 100 because the Nigerian Army is making woeful progress against Boko Haram.”
This is while Investigative Journalist Thomas C. Mountain has told Press TV’s UK Desk that Britain remains “very hypocritical” in its fight against militancy.
Mountain believes that “the British were one of the sponsors of the terrorist organizations [which are] now a major problem in Iraq and Syria, the so-called ISIL.”
He also pointed to the UK’s interest in Nigeria, saying: “Britain has major investments in oil industry in Nigeria. They are very concerned about the failure of the Nigerian government to suppress the Boko Haram insurgency; so, yes Britain has direct economic influence and interest.”
Mountain added that London’s move comes at a time when millions of Britons are suffering over cutbacks to the National Health Service and while the country’s homeless population is on the rise.
Britain has already sent specialists to train troops in Nigeria and deployed three RAF Tornados in the summer as part of the search for 200 schoolgirls who were kidnapped by the insurgents.
Military chiefs are now drawing up plans to increase the scale of Britain’s role in Africa’s largest oil producer.
Britain’s new mission to Nigeria is reportedly meant to provide advice on military organization and technical support.
HRK/GHN.