The Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) at the
weekend attributed Nigeria's declining participation in global peace-keeping
operations to the country's concentration of military assets on the war against
insurgency in the North-east.
The minister's position came as the Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF)
decimated a notorious Boko Haram commander and 15 others in ongoing clearance
operations in the Lake Chad Basin.
Speaking at the United Nations Peace-keeping Ministerial Meeting on
Uniformed Capabilities Performance and Protection of Civilians at UN
Headquarters in New York, the minister said Nigeria's participation in
peacekeeping operations had declined as a result of the country's commitment to
the war against insurgency.
"Nigeria’s participation in UN Peacekeeping has declined significantly
of recent, mainly due to her commitment to the war on insurgency in the
North-eastern part of the country and
sub-regional peacekeeping commitments. I am pleased to inform Your
Excellences that a lot of successes have been achieved in the fight against
terrorism and we are in the process of demining affected areas and rebuilding
communities.
"These successes have no doubt been made possible with the
collaboration from international community and countries of the Lake Chad Basin
Commission", he said in a statement issued in Abuja.
Mansur Dan-Ali stated that "despite the above mentioned challenges,
Nigeria has continued to play its role in supporting the United Nations and
other stakeholders to achieve international peace and security. One of such
areas is through the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and
Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji in Kaduna State.
"The center which is aimed at delivering realistic training packages
on peace support operations to potential United Nations and regional
peacekeepers received recognition from the United Nations Integrated Training
Service in August 2018.
"The renewal of the recognition has been requested by the center to
meet up with international standards. This was after the curriculum was
reviewed and updated in line with the present-day peacekeeping contemporary
challenges.
"When approved, the center would serve as an additional training hub
to the Regional Service Centre Entebbe, Uganda, thereby reducing its burden."
Meanwhile, as part of its ongoing operations, the Multinational Joint Task
Force weekend eliminated a Boko Haram Commander and 15 other terrorists in Lake
Chad Basin.
A war update by the Spokesman of the MNJTF, Col. Timothy Antigha, stated
that "in the continuing escalation of offensive operations aimed at making
islands and other settlements in Lake Chad untenable for Boko Haram terrorists,
troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) over the weekend embarked
on clearance operation in Kerenoa and adjourning areas.
Troops "made contact with Boko Haram terrorists at Andakar Camp. In
the ensuing fire-fight, Malloum Moussa, Boko Haram Commander and 15 of his men
were neutralised. Five gun trucks were also destroyed. A woman whose
relationship with the terrorists is yet to be determined was apprehended.
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