US President Donald Trump pledged stronger support for Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram jihadists Monday, while demanding greater trade access to Africa’s largest economy.
After a meeting with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the first leader from sub-Saharan Africa invited by Trump to the White House, Trump said he was prepared to sell helicopters to the oil-rich country in addition to light fighter aircraft already agreed.
“These new aircraft will improve Nigeria’s ability to target terrorists and protect civilians,” Trump said during a joint press conference in the White House’s Rose Garden.
Asked when the first deliveries of equipment — including a dozen A-29 Super Tucano light fighter aircraft and unspecified helicopters — would take place, Trump replied: “Very soon.”
“We’re getting them approved. Part of the problem is you weren’t allowed to buy helicopters in our country and now you are; I worked that out,” he added.
“We make the best military equipment in the world. And our friends can now buy that equipment.”
Buhari, visiting the United States on a mission to drum up more counterterrorism support and US business investment, thanked Trump for Washington’s support to help rebuild the country’s northeast, which has been under assault for nine years from Boko Haram.
“The United States of America has been to date the biggest contributor to the humanitarian response,” said Buhari.
And Buhari diplomatically brushed off the controversy over Trump’s alleged branding of Nigeria and other African nations as “shithole countries” in a January rant over immigration.
“I’m very careful with what the press says, other than about myself,” Buhari told reporters.
“I’m not sure about the validity or whether that allegation against the president was true or not. So the best thing for me is to keep quiet.”
