The United States of America’s Navy Seal 6, which rescued its citizen last week, acted with the full knowledge and approval of Nigerian government, Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, said on Tuesday.
Magashi’s comment came in reaction to criticisms from many quarters, including the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against the government for “sleeping on the job” and being ignorant while foreign security agents rescued their kidnapped citizen without Nigeria’s consent and knowledge.
Philip Walton, 27, who was abducted last Tuesday by a criminal gang in neighboring Niger Republic, was rescued by American Navy SEAL Team 6 in Northern Nigeria
“U.S. forces conducted a hostage rescue operation during the early hours of 31 October in Northern Nigeria to recover an American citizen held hostage by a group of armed men. This American citizen is safe and is now in the care of the U.S. Department of State”, chief Pentagon spokesman, Jonathan Hoffman, said in a statement Saturday.
But Nigerian Defence Minister debunked the allegation of sleeping on duty, clarifying that government was not only in the know about the operation, but actually provided full support to the Americans, adding that the operation was not a violation of the nation’s sovereignty.
Magashi told reporters at the National Assembly, shortly after he defended his Ministry’s budget at the Senate on Tuesday, Nigeria gave permission to the United States “as a friendly country” almost as soon as it was contacted by the government.
Ruling out theories that the United States might have violated Nigeria’s sovereignty, he said the country was doing the best it could with what was available to the military to deploy adequate technology in its operations.
The criminal gang that captured Walton was based in the small village of Niamey in southwestern Niger. They apparently intended to hold him hostage for a ransom.
Six captors were involved, and five were killed during Walton’s rescue while one got away, according to an American defence official.
