The Federal Government of Nigeria has placed orders for Czech tanks, amphibious vehicles and rocket launchers to fight the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
Daily Mladá fronta Dnes (MfD) writes today that the Czech arms dealer Excalibur Group will deliver modernized Soviet-made tanks T-72 M1 and 16 other vehicles, BMP armored infantry fighting vehicles and rocket launchers to an African country, according to its spokesman Andrej ?írtek.
President Barack Obama last summer blocked the resale of US-made military helicopters by Israel to the Nigerian government for its fight against Boko Haram last summer, Elombah.com had reported 5 days ago.
Washington blocked the transaction due to concerns that the Nigerian government was not doing enough to avoid civilian casualties in its war against Boko Haram. Obama administration officials told an Israeli daily that the transfer of such aircraft requires a review,, in order to determine its "consistency with US policy interests.
The spokesman of the Czech arms dealer Excalibur Grou?írtek said the heavy arms come from sales of redundant equipment of the armies of the former Warsaw Pact.
Czech Defense and Security Industry Association head Ji?í Hynek confirmed that the destination is Nigeria.
“The tanks had to be delivered quickly so that the Nigerian army had vehicles to fight with,” Hynek told MfD.
According to unofficial information, the military vehicles will be sold for more than $8 million.
A huge Antonov An-225 Mriya transport plane landed in Ostrava, north Moravia, to carry the arms to Nigeria. It is to make three flights to Africa. The aircraft is to take the first part of the equipment there within a few days.
The Boko Haram was founded in 2002 and its militants have been fighting Nigerian central government since 2009, demanding the establishment of and Islamic state and the strict application of the Sharia law. It controls the north eastern part of Nigeria.
In 2014 alone, Boko Haram killed about 3,000 people. In the last five years it was approximately 13,000 people. According to the United Nations, 1.5 million people left their homes in flight in fear of the militants, known for their brutality.
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