SANDF unaware of ex-soldiers in Nigeria

Johannesburg - The SA National Defence Force on Monday said it was unaware of former South African soldiers being deployed to Nigeria to help destroy terrorist group Boko Haram.

"I do not know where Beeld gets this thing from. Ask them," SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said.

Earlier, Beeld reported that former soldiers of the SA Defence Force were part of a multinational team of private military experts on their way to Nigeria.

The Afrikaans daily reported that this was at the request of the Nigerian government, and that the team of about 100 members would train Nigerian soldiers for a massive defence effort.

The first goal of the soldiers, backed by South African expertise, would be to free the remaining Chibok schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram last year.

Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for the department of international relations could not be reached for comment.