- Defence Minister rules out dialogue with bandits, terrorists
The European Union (EU) has expressed its willingness to assist Nigeria overcome banditry, kidnapping and insurgency by Boko Haram, saying the security of the Niger Delta was key, being the country’s major revenue earner.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi, spoke during her visit to Nigeria’s Ministers of Defence (Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and Bello Muhammed Matawalle) at Ship House, Abuja.
”The EU is committed to ensuring that Nigeria overcomes the issues of insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram,” Isopi said.
She added that the European Union was concerned with three main geographical areas, including the Northeast and Lake Chad Basin ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents and the Niger Delta where government gets it revenue through oil and gas, as well as maritime security.
She promised that EU would deepen its military support to end insurgency in Nigeria.
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, declared that the option of dialoguing 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 the failure of many states in achieving results with it in the past.
He also called for more intelligence and equipment support from the European Union, EU, in the fight against insecurity, saying it preceded the present administration.
Badaru said the European Union needed 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 the areas of intelligence sharing and equipment to end insurgency in the north-east and other form of criminalities in the country in general.
Badaru said ”dialogue with bandits was not the option in resolving the crisis as many states have tried it and failed.”.
He, therefore, solicited for more EU 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 Nigeria needed 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 could help Nigeria in combating criminality in the country by sharing intelligence with Nigerian military and giving early warning before the crime was 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 could help support and strengthen Nigeria’s security agencies by finding workable solutions.
