Cites Failures with States in the past.

Seeks Strategic Intelligence, Equipment Support from EU to End Insurgency 

By: Kingsley Omonobi – Abuja

Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has declared the the option of dialogue with bandits was no longer an option open to the federal government in tackling insecurity in the country and other emerging security crisis.

The minister said the decision was taken following experiences of past as many States have tried it and it failed.

This is just as the minister called for more intelligence and equipment support from the European Union (EU) in the fight against insecurity saying that it preceded this administration.

Badaru made the disclosure on Tuesday when he received a European Union (EU) delegation led by the Ambassador of the EU to Nigeria and ECOWAS at the Ship House.

He said that the European Union needs to support Nigeria in the fight by taking a collaborative approach of curative and preventive measures to end the crisis in Nigeria. 

He disclosed that Nigeria needed military support in areas of intelligence sharing and equipment to end insurgency in the North-East and other form of criminalities in the country in general.

Badaru added, “that dialogue with bandits was not the option in resolving the crisis as many States have tried it and failed”.

He therefore implored EU for more support in area of intelligence sharing and equipment to end the crisis.

On his part, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle while addressing the delegates said that Nigeria needs the support of EU in areas of intelligence sharing, personnel training and provision of modern and sophisticated equipment in order to fight the insecurity bedeviling the country.

He reiterated that the EU can help Nigeria in combating criminality in the country by sharing intelligence with Nigerian Military and giving early warning before the crime is committed.

“We need to be proactive and preventive in the fight against all forms of criminalities, in Nigeria” he said.

He further noted that the European Union can help, support and strengthen Nigerian Security agencies by finding workable solutions. 

Earlier in her remarks, the Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi said that the European Union is committed to ensuring that Nigeria overcomes the issues of insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram.

She added that European Union is concerned with three main geographical areas: the Northeast and Lake Chad basin ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents, the Niger Delta region where Government gets it revenue through oil and gas, and the Maritime security.

She promised that EU would deepen its Military support to end insurgency in Nigeria.