Bandits, terrorists may hijack Tucanos—American expert on Nigeria

United States former Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell has predicted the possibility of the Super Tucano fighter jets Nigeria just acquired falling into the hands of terrorist and bandits.

His fear follows the Afghanistan government fall, and the takeover of similar high-grade military jet fighter and other weapons by the Talibans.

“Though it seems unlikely at present, there is also the potential that a Super Tucano could fall into the hands of a jihadi terrorist group,” the African expert on the American Council of Foreign Relations.

“Now that the Super Tucanos are part of the Nigerian Air Force, an issue will be how they are used. Will they be used only against jihadi terrorists in the North, or will there be the temptation to use them against other targets, such as Biafran separatists, Delta militants, or even cattle rustlers? Broader use increases the potential for civilian casualties.

“A Biafran separatist movement, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is suing to block the sale in a Washington, D.C. court,” he said.

As at now, the terrorists have no facilities to keep or operate aircraft.

And if the calibration of the US-made fighter jets is anything to reckon with, no untrained pilot can fly Tucano.

Campbell has been predicting a great deal about Nigeria–disintegration, violent elections, insecurity, and state failure.

He denies some of his prediction that fall flat though—like the 2015 he allegedly set for Nigeria’s break-up.