Nigeria kidnapping-UK mil to be involved.
 

Someone is briefing the UK paper The Guardian. UK military will offer assistance and possibly become involved. Special Forces and aircraft.

Nigeria kidnap: US and UK offer help in hunt for schoolgirls | World news | theguardian.com

I never liked Procul Harem anyway, way too hippy for me.

Err, I think the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs stated that Her Majesty's Government would offer assistance. And quite rightly, too.

I'm flying a vertical camera equipped aircraft in Nigeria at the moment and we can photograph down to 5cm GSD. I offered this to NAF and NSA (Nigeria Security Adviser) on 14 April when this story first emerged, but they were not the slightest interested. Nigerian government officials are only interested in doing anything if they see an opportunity to chop some money from a contract - they are not the slightest bit interested in the well-being of their populace.

The NAF has a KingAir 350 with a vertical camera, but this is not flying at the moment due to lack of spares. The reason they have no spares is not because of lack of budget, but simply because of corruption within the NAF - spares were invoiced, but somebody stole all the money...

The root of all the problems in Nigeria at the moment is massive endemic government corruption at all levels. I suspect that this incident will be first of many.

FREE MONEY!
 

Fully concur. If you wish to support a campaign to end government corruption and insidious email and internet scams in Nigeria, PM me. The equivalent of 1 billion naira is being held for you pending receipt of your bank details and the payment of a relatively small administration fee.

FodPlod,

I laughed my tits off.:) I do hope your post is also appreciated by others.

Sun.

I don't appreciate it ...... he's muscling into my territory!

Then and Now.
 

One hundred and ten years ago Nigeria was one of the most prosperous and flourishing of Britain's African colonies. My Father was out there, seconded to the Southern Nigeria Regiment from the King's (Liverpool) Regt. as a SNCO Instructor. (I believe a Major Trenchard (any relation ?) was the C.O.)

Of course, the British Empire was a thoroughly Bad Thing (or so I am told by the Intelligentsia).......I wonder (having seen some of it).

In any case they are Independent Now (with all that that entails). It's all very sad, but we are not the world's policeman any more. We should keep out of it.

D.

Trim said:

"I'm flying a vertical camera equipped aircraft in Nigeria at the moment and we can photograph down to 5cm GSD. I offered this to NAF and NSA (Nigeria Security Adviser) on 14 April when this story first emerged, but they were not the slightest interested. Nigerian government officials are only interested in doing anything if they see an opportunity to chop some money from a contract - they are not the slightest bit interested in the well-being of their populace.

The NAF has a KingAir 350 with a vertical camera, but this is not flying at the moment due to lack of spares. The reason they have no spares is not because of lack of budget, but simply because of corruption within the NAF - spares were invoiced, but somebody stole all the money...

The root of all the problems in Nigeria at the moment is massive endemic government corruption at all levels. I suspect that this incident will be first of many."





The Nigerians are fools not to take up your offer, as it seems you also spotted two army lynx flying over Cumbria while you were flying over Nigeria......
That is some super duper camera :)

I made the offer in Abuja on 15 April and I happen to be home on leave in the UK since May 1. It was only one Lynx over Cumbria. Do keep up at the back, and try to learn how to use quote marks in your replies otherwise you give the impression of being a bit dim.

This will be a total waste of time and possibly cost the lives of British personnel.Anyone who has spent any time in Nigeria knows that there is no political will to get involved with anything that does not enrich politicians or military officers. The last involvement of UK special forces was a disaster - the hostages were both killed. Incompetence, squalor and corruption are endemic - the north east is a ghastly place,I spent a little time in Maiduguri and was exceeding glad to leave. Why the British government wants to get involved is anybodies guess - we should leave well alone.

Personally I want us to help for the sake of the children.

But I agree with the rest of your statement. We should not be giving any aid to this country while it is governed by such vile, feckless, venal politicians and military. The money we give to them in Foreign Aid should be given to our police to shut down and confiscate all the foreign bank accounts owned by Nigerian politicians, civil servants and military officers.

Why the British government wants to get involved is anybodies guess - we should leave well alone.


Indeed we should. I am suffering from donor fatigue but our glorious political leaders insist on making gestures...

Maybe they think they can pull off another Sierra Leone ?

TV news driven tonight.
 

Agree with just about all above. Yes I started it a little tongue in cheek, but it was pushed hard by ITN tonight by their reporter (Rageh Omar, apologies for bad spelling of name but I cant be bothered to look it up-I never liked the man). I find it amazing that we could be even partially involved because of the news reports have pushed the Govt. to make a response and make them seen to be do something-for the sake of good TV. Are they serious? Are they saying the UK involvement has to assist in finding, and possibly assaulting this relatively unknown "enemy" force.The UK Military is too small, too far away and frankly too insignificant to have an rapid effect here. Is this not the point when a SO should step in and halt this nonsense? I'm showing an interest in this because back in about 2009 I took part in an exercise where we and others formed up for some war playing , Joint NATO and bit of everything but focused on amphib. One of the scenarios was to recapture a large holiday complex that had been taken by a terrorist organisation. the region was within the Eastern Med etc. Well, the whole thing was a shambles (its true, as a worms eye viewer it was a shambles) and it brought home to me how much we had declined as a force and how little we would really achieve if this ever occurred for real. those times are behind the UK.I'm sure there's a few on here know the time and place I'm on about. And now it appears our leaders seem to be pushing for something even harder, even further away, with less and less material and actual people. Maybe it will come to nothing for our side, I truly hope so.

Well, that's the element of surprise gone ...

Stand by for some 'mafi bacon' to make his disgust known by 'direct action' in the UK.

With the way the news reports have been going on, it is clear that the main protagonist has a very clear religous inclination. Therefore any action by an armed force not aligned with that religous inclination will automatically be taken by certain parties and the media as oppressing that inclination, leading to repercussions on other fronts.

Do you think I managed to say that without offending anyone? Probably not, but you will get the drift

Ogre, Would that I had your tactful way with words ;)

Trim
Its a shame you missed the big yellow smiling emoticon in my post, but don't worry I won't insult your intelligence for that. :)

Enjoy your leave.
I may clearly be a bit dim in your view for reading two of your posts, one saying you were in the UK, and one saying you were currently flying a type in Nigeria on the same day..............................But it may surprise you to know I actually realised that you weren't in both locations, and was making light of something, hence the smiling emoticon.

The only justification for UK forces going in is humanitarian and then at the behest of the UN. Unfortunately, in the past, the 'host' country have always wanted their own forces to be included and this has sometimes led to a major clusterfkuc with unnecessary casualties. I suspect UKs own SF would refuse a combined operation on the grounds of possible causalities to themselves. It would have to be a night operation with NVG anyway and I doubt the Nigerians have them, they would have been sold off long ago.