Following the recent threat of military action against Nigeria by Donald Trump, on the allegation of mass slaughter of Christians, the US military has submitted contingency plans for potential strikes on Nigeria.
The New York Times reports that the US Africa Command has drawn up and sent its options to the Department of War this week upon the request of Secretary Pete Hegseth.
According to the report which was published on Wednesday, the contingency plan from the African Command included three options: heavy, medium, and light with each designed to allow for a controlled escalation.
The New York Times reported that the military officials disclosed that the “heavy option” presented by the command is the most forceful military response the US could take against Nigeria.
It involves sending an aircraft carrier group to the Gulf of Guinea, off the Nigerian coast, and using fighter jets or long-range bombers to strike targets deep inside northern Nigeria.
For the medium option, the command suggested using drone strikes against militant camps, bases, convoys and vehicles in northern Nigeria.
US Predator and Reaper drones have a capacity to loiter for hours before striking; meanwhile, other US intelligence assets would build up targets’ patterns of life to enable precise, timely strikes, the New York Times reports.
Military officials told The New York Times that the light option would centre on partner-enabled operations, with the US military and State Department supporting Nigerian government forces to target Boko Haram and other Islamist insurgents responsible for attacks, kidnappings and killings of civilians.
According to the plan, the primary goal of the plan is to strike Islamist militants in northern Nigeria, protect Christians from armed violence and to end the decades-long insurgency in the country.
Some of the challenges is the fact that, for the “heavy option” in the US contingency plan, the main hitch lies in the use of long-range bombers. It would require the deployment of air carrier groups to the Gulf of Guinea. however, officials stated that the US has limited carrier capacity.
The New York Times, however noted that the US is already in the process of moving one of its aircraft carriers, the Gerald R. Ford, from its deployment in Europe to the southern Caribbean, where President Trump has declared war on drug cartels.
The second option, which involves drone strikes on militant camps is also affected by the absence of US military bases with close range.
The US exited the two nearest drone bases located in Agadez and Niamey, both in neighbouring Niger, in August.
Currently, the closest known locations from where the US could launch drones are in southern Europe and Djibouti in East Africa, where the US military maintains a large base.
MSN.com
