Military authorities in Nigeria on Friday said drones recently deployed by suspected Boko Haram and other terrorists in Borno State are not advanced or military-grade and therefore do not pose a significant threat to counter-terrorism efforts.
Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations said this during a press briefing in Abuja.
“These are not professional drones, not military-grade drones,” Maj.-Gen. Buba explained.
“These are toys that you went to buy and found a way to put one or two things on board and use them. They are not effective, but we are doing something about it.”
He clarified that while drones have been utilized in battles across the globe, the types being deployed by terrorists in Nigeria lack sophistication and capability.
While addressing recent rumours of a foreign military base in the country, Maj.-Gen. Buba also dispelled claims of a French presence on Nigerian soil. “There is no foreign base anywhere in Nigeria,” he noted.
“That is a distraction from him, instead of tackling the problem in his country,” he added, referencing a statement made by an African leader on the issue.