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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The European Union (EU) has pledged €20 million in defence assistance to Nigeria to strengthen the operational capacity of the Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism, insurgency and other security threats across the country.
The proposed assistance, to be provided under the European Peace Facility, will be finalised during a visit by an EU technical delegation to Abuja in November to determine the modalities for its delivery.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gautier Mignot, disclosed this during a working visit to the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Ship House, Abuja.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, reviewing existing security arrangements and exploring additional areas of support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations.
“The engagement centred on modalities for the EU’s bilateral assistance of €20 million for the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the European Peace Facility,” the statement said.
Musa expressed appreciation for the EU’s continued support for Nigeria’s security efforts and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
He said sustained operations by the Armed Forces and other security agencies were gradually restoring peace to troubled parts of the country.
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The minister, however, acknowledged that kidnapping along major highways and attacks on isolated communities remained serious security challenges, assuring that efforts were being intensified to tackle them.
He disclosed that Nigeria was expecting the delivery of 10 attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other critical military equipment as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces.
On the security situation in the Lake Chad Basin, Musa warned that the continued shrinking of the lake, on which more than 50 million people depend for their livelihoods, remained a potential source of instability in the region.
He stressed that denying terrorists access to safe havens and operational bases on the islands of Lake Chad remained a major priority for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which coordinates regional military operations against insurgent groups.
The minister also called for greater attention to victims of insurgency under the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) Programme, stressing that affected military personnel should be adequately considered in rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.
Mignot reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s security efforts and disclosed that a technical delegation would visit Abuja in November to conclude discussions on the delivery of the proposed assistance.
He also commended the recent conference of serving and former MNJTF force commanders, attended by representatives of the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission, describing it as an important platform for strengthening regional security cooperation.
