COAS Pledges Continued Army Support for Refugees, IDPs
The Nigerian Army has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting refugees and internally displaced persons and supporting efforts aimed at their safe return, resettlement and reintegration across the country.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, gave the assurance on Thursday while receiving the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Dr Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, during a courtesy visit to the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Shaibu said the Army recognised the strong link between insecurity and displacement, stressing that durable solutions to the challenges faced by refugees and IDPs depended largely on improved security, stability and effective civil–military cooperation.
He noted that the Nigerian Army, through its ongoing operations nationwide, continued to prioritise the protection of civilians and the creation of a secure environment that would enable the voluntary return and reintegration of displaced persons.
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According to him, the Army remains fully aligned with national efforts to restore peace and create conditions that allow humanitarian and development interventions to thrive.
The COAS assured the Commission of the Army’s readiness to sustain support for humanitarian initiatives aimed at restoring dignity, improving livelihoods and enhancing the overall wellbeing of affected populations.
In his remarks, the Federal Commissioner, Dr Ahmed, commended the Nigerian Army for its longstanding support to the Commission, recalling the military’s critical role during previous evacuation and repatriation exercises of Nigerians from Cameroon.
He said the involvement of the Army was instrumental to the success of those operations and appealed for continued collaboration as the Commission prepares for another similar mission.
Ahmed stressed that sustained partnership with the military remained essential, not only for operational success, but also to ensure that humanitarian interventions translate into improved livelihoods, dignity and better living conditions for refugees and internally displaced persons.
The engagement underscored the Army’s expanding role in supporting civil authorities and humanitarian agencies as Nigeria grapples with the security and humanitarian challenges driving displacement in many parts of the country.
By PRNigeria
