Godsent Ogbebor
EU Moves to Boost Security Ties With Nigeria
The European Union has indicated plans to strengthen its security cooperation with Nigeria as both sides seek broader responses to the country’s growing security concerns.
This followed a visit by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
Mignot congratulated Oluyede on his appointment and said Nigeria remains a key partner to the EU, noting that most EU member states maintain diplomatic missions in the country.
He said the union’s interest in Nigeria goes beyond military engagement, covering peacebuilding, governance and institutional support.
Read also: UK and US Agree Deal to Keep Pharmaceutical Tariffs at Zero for Three Years
According to him, the EU is currently funding several non-military projects across Nigeria aimed at promoting stability and preventing conflict, especially at a time when the country faces complex security pressures.
The ambassador assured the defence chief of the EU’s readiness to expand cooperation with Nigeria in ways that would support long-term peace and security.
In his response, Oluyede welcomed the EU’s continued engagement and acknowledged its various interventions in the country. He said Nigeria would benefit from closer and more direct security collaboration with the EU, rather than support limited mainly to regional military operations.
The defence chief urged that proposed areas of cooperation be expedited, stressing that Nigeria is dealing with multiple security challenges across different parts of the country and requires timely support to strengthen ongoing efforts by the armed forces and other security agencies.
