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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The European Union (EU) has extended its sympathies to families of victims recently abducted in Niger State and other victims of terrorist attacks across the country, declaring that it shares in their anguish and pain.
The Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gautier Mignot, offered condolences during an end-of-year media parley with journalists in Abuja, accompanied by EU envoys to Nigeria.
Present were ambassadors from the Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Italy, Germany, Finland, France, and Portugal.
Mignot, when asked about EU–Nigeria security cooperation, said, “In terms of insecurity, what I want to stress is that our thoughts and sympathies go out to the victims. In particular, I am thinking of the victims of the abducted children in Niger State, who are still being held hostage; we share the anguish of their families and also the pain of victims of other recent attacks in other regions of Nigeria.”
Mignot explained that the EU strives to understand the full complexity of insecurity in Nigeria, which is driven by many factors. He noted, “Religion is certainly one of them, but not the only one. Of course, freedom of religion is very important and we always condemn attacks on places of worship in particular, but it is not the only dimension of insecurity and violence in Nigeria and I think it is very important to recognise this.”
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He added that the EU is supporting victims—especially in Benue State—while promoting peace-building initiatives across the country. “We recently launched a new project in Katsina State for instance, and we are going to Zamfara soon, because part of this project is also covering Zamfara State,” he said.
Part of the support includes demobilisation, deradicalisation and reintegration programmes for members of non-state armed groups, as well as support for the Nigerian security forces on both kinetic and non-kinetic dimensions. “We are providing considerable support to the Multinational Joint Task Force around Lake Chad,” Mignot said.
Mignot further stated that the EU’s partnership vision for Nigeria is based on broad assessments, exchanges with stakeholders, and extensive field visits. He highlighted that in less than one year, he had visited 16 states across all six geopolitical zones, noting that the EU team has covered most of Nigeria this year.
He stressed the need for a holistic vision of Nigeria’s assets and challenges, acknowledging that Nigeria faces serious, complex, and interlinked issues, but also possesses great potential and positive trends. “Alongside insecurity, other key challenges include poverty and social inequalities, as well as an urgent need to address the malnutrition crisis in the northwest and northeast, especially among children. Yet, we also see successes—for example, in macroeconomic reforms and the digital sector, with impressive entrepreneurial spirit nationwide.
The Federal Government and many state governments are working to harness and build on these strengths for sustained development.”
German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther, added that Germany is particularly engaged in the northeast and northwest security sector via the Regional Stabilisation Facility for the Lake Chad Region. She said Germany, as the largest donor, has contributed over one hundred and twenty million euros in recent years, with about one hundred million euros spent on stabilisation measures in the northeast and the BAY states.
