FG Seeks EU’s Help to Deepen Security Cooperation

FG Seeks EU’s Help to Deepen Security Cooperation

Nigeria is seeking to deepen security cooperation with the European Union (EU) in a bid to combat insecurity in the country, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has said.

Badaru made the disclosure when he received a delegation from the European External Actions Service (EEAS) in Abuja on Wednesday.

The disclosure was made in a statement by Mr Hope Attari, Acting Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Defence.

Badaru said that Nigeria was desirous of restoring partnership with the EU and strengthening collaboration with the union in fighting violent extremism, maintaining peace and security as well as enhancing regional cooperation.

The minister noted that the country needed intelligence and security equipment from the EU to combat insecurity in the country. He listed the major challenges facing the country as banditry in the North West and North Central, Boko Haram in the North East, Oil vandalism in the South South, sectional agitation in South East and general insecurity at the Gulf of Guinea and the Lake Chad region.

Similarly, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, also called for the EU’s cooperation in the fight against insecurity in the country, noting that the safety of Nigeria was the safety of Africa.

The Head of the delegation, Deputy Secretary General of the EEAS, Helena Konig, said the purpose of the visit was to seek Nigeria’s area of priorities in terms of security issues where the EU could intervene. She added that the priority areas would be discussed extensively at the forth coming high ministerial meeting.

Konig said that the EU wants to work extensively with Nigeria in counter terrorism, to stabilise the region, considering that the country was a strong supporter in maintaining the Africa territorial region.

By PRNigeria