The Defence Headquarters has clarified that UN fighting vehicles and equipment sighted recently in Benin, Edo state are enroute to Southern Sudan and they are for the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), Southern Sudan.
It said that there is no cause for alarm over the presence of UN fighting vehicles and equipment as they are being moved through Warri port to South Sudan.
The Acting Director Defence Information DDI, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 .
He said the clarification became necessary following some social media video clips been circulated about the presence of some United Nations Peacekeeping fighting vehicles and equipment in Nigeria that has “resulted to insinuations which are inimical to public peace and may even cause panic”
“The Defence Headquarters hereby state that presently, Nigeria is contributing troops to various United Nations Peace keeping operations, the most recent is United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), Southern Sudan.
“The Mission is commanded by a Nigerian, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr. It should be noted that the UN doesn’t have its own troops, rather it enter into agreement with troops contributing countries to provide their personnel and equipment for operations in its various missions.
“Therefore, it is imperative to state emphatically that the military fighting vehicles and equipment painted in UN colour as sighted are being moved through the Warri port for movement to the mission area in Southern Sudan to marry up with our troops who were inducted into UNISFA mission last month.
It further explained that “the Defence Headquarters under the leadership of General Lucky Irabor CFR wish to assure Nigerians that our nation is not under any threat that will warrant the deployment of United Nations troops in our soil.”