File photo: Defence Minister, Christopher Musa
The Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (retd.), has said the European Union is set to provide €20m in defence assistance to Nigeria to support the Armed Forces in tackling insecurity.
The minister said the assistance would be provided under the European Peace Facility, adding that an EU technical delegation would visit Abuja in November to agree on the modalities for its delivery.
The announcement was made in a statement on Saturday by the minister’s aide, Leah Katung-Babatunde, titled ‘EU to Deliver €20m Defence Support to Nigerian Armed Forces’.
She said the minister had received the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States, Gautier Mignot, at his office in Abuja.
“The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd), received the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot and his delegation at his office Ship House Abuja. The EU Ambassador was on a working visit to the Minister to discuss critical defence bilateral agreements, including the review of security cooperation between Nigeria and the EU.
“The engagement centred on modalities for an EU’s bilateral assistance of £20 million for the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the European Peace Facility,” the statement read.
He thanked the EU for its continued support for Nigeria’s security efforts and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
Musa said relative peace was gradually returning to the country through the efforts of the military and other security agencies.
He, however, identified kidnapping along major highways and attacks on isolated communities as persistent security challenges, noting that the government was working to address them.
“Relative peace is gradually returning due to the laudable efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies. He, however, mentioned that issues of kidnapping along major highways and attacks on isolated communities persists, which are being tackled. In this regard, Nigeria is expecting the delivery of ten attack helicopters, UAVs and other major enablers with the effort of the President,” he said.
The minister added that Nigeria was expecting 10 attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and other critical military equipment through efforts by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
On regional security, Musa warned that the shrinking of the Lake Chad Basin, which supports more than 50 million people, remained a potential source of instability.
He said denying terrorists access to operational bases on the islands of Lake Chad remained a priority for the Multinational Joint Task Force.
The minister also called for greater attention to victims of conflict under the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration programme, stressing that affected military personnel should also be prioritised.
Earlier, Mignot commended the minister’s efforts to improve Nigeria’s security situation and invited him to a meeting of defence ministers scheduled to hold in Brussels later in the year.
The ambassador also praised the recent conference of former and serving MNJTF force commanders, which was attended by representatives of the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission.
He said the planned visit by the EU technical delegation would help finalise arrangements for the delivery of the assistance.
“Gautier Mignot disclosed that an EU technical delegation will visit Abuja in November to agree on delivery details. He further commended the recent conference of past and present MNJTF force commanders, which was attended by representatives of the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission,” he said.