Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The European Union (EU) has pledged its commitment to help the Nigerian armed forces defeat insecurity in the country.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, made the commitment when he visited the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, in his office at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
Mr Mignot reiterated the commitment of the EU to support Nigeria in the current complex moment, which is not limited to the military alone but includes broader areas such as governance and politics.
While stating the importance of Nigeria to members of the European Union—with 19 out of 27 member states maintaining diplomatic representation in the country—the ambassador said the EU is currently engaged in numerous non-kinetic projects across Nigeria to support peace-building efforts.
He congratulated the CDS on his appointment and looked forward to a better working relationship with the military to end insecurity in the country.
Receiving the ambassador in his office, the CDS, who expressed gratitude to the EU for its continuous support and assistance to Nigeria, commended the EU’s plan to engage with Nigeria on the security front as opposed to the existing arrangement of giving military support mainly to the Multinational Joint Task Force.
He sued for the fast-tracking of the process, as Nigeria is grappling with multi-faceted security challenges and would therefore warmly welcome support from the EU in tackling the challenges.
Recall that President Donald Trump had earlier declared Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to the high level of insecurity resulting in the mass killing of christians.