The Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Thursday restated Nigeria position on the proposed African Standby Force, saying Nigeria is ready and prepare to contribute troops to the propose Force.
“Nigeria will contribute to the proposed African Standby Force and we are open to all possible collaborations with the African Union to ensure the security of Africa,” he said.
Abubakar said this at a meeting, him and the Minister of State for Defence Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle had with Ambassadors from the African Union Peace and Security Council led by the Ambassador of Gambia to the African Union and Chairperson of African Union Peace and Security Council Her Excellency Jainaba Jagne at Ship House, Abuja.
The Minister reiterated Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to regional security cooperation as demonstrated with the just concluded African Counter Terrorism Summit in Abuja.
Speaking about the Counter-terrorism Summit in particular ,Badaru said that Nigeria will abide with the resolutions reached that would enhance the regional fight against terrorism and other criminalities.
He said: “Though it is still on paper, but I believe all council members are enthusiastic about the deliberation and on our part, we will work hard to contribute our best to see that our partnership on conflict resolution works.”
On her part, Her Excellency Jainaba Jagne commended the Nigerian Government for the hospitality and commitment to advancing the goals of the African Union.
She said: “Today’s meeting underscores the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing the common threats facing our continent. Nigeria’s leadership in this regard is commendable, and we look forward to continued collaboration towards a safer and more secure Africa.”
Those who were privy to discussions at the meeting said they had robust deliberations on issues hampering conflict resolution in the region with the aim of fostering closer collaboration among African nations in the fight against terrorism.
The discussions are expected to inform future initiatives aimed at strengthening regional security mechanisms and enhancing the effectiveness of counter-terrorism efforts across Africa.