Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Nigeria and the United Kingdom have agreed to strengthen bilateral relationship in fighting insurgency.
The agreement was reached when the UK Minister for Armed Forces and Veterans, Mr. James Heappey visited the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Badaru mni, CON in his office in Abuja.
In his welcome address, Badaru said Britain has been supportive in ensuring the safety of Nigerian waterways, adding that security is a dynamic issue which has its own challenges.
The Minister said that Nigerian Military and British Military have to work together to combat the Boko Haram threat, adding that the West needs to give more support to Nigeria as it has given to other nations.
Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle MON, said that Nigeria and United Kingdom have had good bilateral relationship.
Matawalle, reaffirmed Federal Government’s commitment to ending insurgency and banditry in Nigeria, adding that both countries need to work closely in areas of capacity building, training of military personnel, technology transfer as well as provision of modern equipment to fight Boko Haram.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana mni said that Britain tops the list on Nigeria’s international friends, adding that Nigeria cherishes the relationship between the two countries.
The United Kingdom Minister for Armed Forces, Mr. James Heappey said that the purpose of their visit is to adjust and expand their support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria based on the needs and perception of the changing threats.
It is worthy of note that this is the first official courtesy visit to the Ministers since assumption of office on Tuesday, 22nd August, 2023.
