LAGOS, Nigeria (Xinhua) — The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has denied the presence of foreign mercenaries in the ongoing counter insurgency operation in the restive northeast part of the country.

Local media had reported that the military has resorted to using mercenaries in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram militants.

Reacting to the report, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, the defence spokesperson, told Xinhua yesterday that the insinuation and media reports are utterly scurrilous and a calculated attempt to smear the good image of the Nigerian military.

He said the orchestrated campaign is aimed at rubbishing the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies that are working hard to contain the insurgencies in the north-east.

The defence spokesman said the Nigerian military has enough trained soldiers to fight the terrorists in the north-east without resorting to the use of mercenaries.

According to him, the military has significantly increased its troop and equipment deployment since the presidential mandate and does not need mercenaries, whether foreign or local, to rout out and put an effective end to guerrilla movements in the north-east within the allotted time.

He told Xinhua that the Nigerian Armed Forces are doing all that are needed to be done to ensure that the terrorists and all forms of criminality are brought under effective control within the shortest possible time.

Earlier reports said Nigeria has brought in hundreds of mercenaries to the north-eastern state of Borno.

Boko Haram launched its insurgency in Nigeria in 2009 aiming to create an Islamic state within the country. More than 2,000 civilians have been killed by the group this year.