The South African government is
concerned its nationals may be working as mercenaries in Nigeria in the
war against the Boko Haram militant group.
Nigerian government spokesman Mike Omeri told the BBC that foreigners were just training troops in the use of new weapons.
Nigeria has recently bought helicopter gunships and tanks from South Africa and former Soviet Union countries.
But the South African government says the men may be involved in fighting.
Nigeria
and its neighbours have recently recaptured several towns and villages
from Boko Haram, which is allied to Islamic State (IS).
Thousands of people have been killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria, since it began its insurgency in 2009.
Analysis by Will Ross, BBC News, Lagos:
It
is hard to explain why there had to be six years of carnage in
north-east Nigeria before the necessary equipment was bought and
aggressive, decisive action was taken against Boko Haram.
But
now the Nigerian authorities are taking all the help they can get and
have achieved some success against the jihadists. Whether we call them
mercenaries or military trainers, as the Nigerian government would
prefer, the hired men from South Africa and the former Soviet Union are
deployed in the theatre of war and some are armed.
Some have
been helping train the Nigerian troops on how to use the recently
acquired military equipment including helicopter gunships, tanks and
armoured vehicles. But the South African authorities suspect this is
cover for illegal mercenary work.
For the Nigerian government,
the issue of mercenaries is a sensitive one and adds to the already
difficult job of explaining why it ever became necessary for the
neighbouring armies of Chad, Niger and Cameroon to deploy inside
Nigeria. It is against the law for South Africans to fight overseas for private gain.
South Africa's Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told the BBC
that anyone suspected of fighting in Nigeria would be investigated by
South African police.
No serving members of South Africa's armed forces were in Nigeria, the minister added.
The
presence of South African mercenaries was first reported by a South
African newspaper in January, and speculation intensified after a
photograph circulated on Twitter last week showing a white man in a
khaki T-shirt and body armour, next to a heavy-calibre machine gun.
The location of the photo was later identified as Maiduguri in north-east Nigeria, close to the fighting with Boko Haram.
Casualty confirmed
On Thursday,
South African websites reported that a mercenary from the country had
been killed in an incident of friendly-fire in Nigeria. Two anonymous
sources speaking to the French news agency AFP confirmed the incident.
The South African government has acknowledged the death of one of its citizens in Nigeria, the New York Times reports.
"We are disturbed by the death of this one person," defence spokeswoman Joy Peters told the paper.
"Unfortunately,
they went to Nigeria in their own personal capacity. We'd like to
advise that this would serve as a warning to others who are considering
engaging in such activities to really think twice and consider the
repercussions."
Alongside South Africans, mercenaries from former Soviet Union countries are also reported to be taking part in the conflict.
In
addition, regular soldiers from Chad, Niger and Cameroon have been
working with the Nigerian military to recapture towns and villages in
north-east Nigeria which have fallen under the control of the Islamist
fighters.
Boko Haram at a glance:
Founded in 2002, initially focused on
opposing Western-style education - Boko Haram means "Western education
is forbidden" in the Hausa language
Launched military operations in 2009 to create an Islamic state
Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - has also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
Abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls
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