Italy has said that it was ‘inexplicable’ that the UK had not informed them of the decision to send in British special forces to rescue two hostages – one British, the other Italian –  held in Nigeria.

 

The failed rescue bid resulted in the deaths of Chris McManus, 28, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, and Franco Lamolinara.

The operation which was conducted jointly by British Special forces and Nigerian military comes at a time when media reports here are referring to a growing insurgency in the north which is being blamed on a group called Boku Haram, which it is said has links to Al Qaeda.

 

Whether the gun men have anything to do with all of that has yet to be proved, however you can establish a number of facts about Nigeria and what may be driving any trouble – the north which is mainly Christian has a monopoly of the oil which the government of GoodLuck Jonathan has not shared equally with the South.

 

What’s more oil companies – which are Western – have cut deals that are too generous to them.

 

And of course there is our Prime Minister – the Tony Blair clone – who having got a taste for colonial glory in Libya has followed in his predecessor’s footsteps by an adventure into Nigeria.

 

Unlike the one into Sierra Leone however, this one has failed and those who continue to question David Cameron’s judgment on the international stage have been left wondering what he’s going to do next.