Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor, on Wednesday said the Nigerian government spent $8 billionn to restore peace in Liberia under the umbrella of the regional peace enforcement and peace keeping group, ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).
General Irabow, who spoke while delivering his keynote remark at the event to mark the 75th-year celebration of the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKOs) in Abuja said: “Since the first engagement of troops of our Armed Forces in the Congo in 1960, Nigeria has been unequivocally committed to the principles and objectives of the United Nations. It has significantly contributed to 41 peacekeeping operations worldwide.
“Ever since, over 200,000 Nigerian troops have served in UN peacekeeping missions worldwide and Nigerian senior military officers have commanded some of these missions.
“Similarly, under regional and sub-regional cooperation, Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping operations in field missions in Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Darfur and Sierra Leone and has contributed a lot in terms of finance, logistics, troops and civilian experts, making her one of the most significant African troops and civilian police contributors to UN missions.
“It is noteworthy that in addition to the loss of lives and injuries to personnel, the ECOMOG, a regional interventionist mediation force advocated to end the protracted Liberian civil war, was operated at an estimated cost of USD 8 billion to the Nigerian government.”
Irabor noted that Nigeria’s active participation in peacekeeping missions had helped save countless lives and restore peace and stability to many countries over the decades.
He said despite the security challenges occasioned by the activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements that have besieged the country, the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Police have continued to contribute troops to sustain the country’s commitment to the UN.
Also, speaking at the occasion, General Martin Luther Agwai, a former CDS and Force Commander of UNAMID, who was the special guest of honour, noted that the UN Peacekeeping had been a unique and dynamic instrument to help countries in conflict transition to lasting peace.
He said more than two million uniformed and civilian personnel have contributed to the global effort to secure peace and progress across the world since 1948.
“As we celebrate this milestone, let us reflect on the past and look to the future. We must work together to enhance our collective efforts towards global peace and security,” he said.
On his part, the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, paid tribute to those who lost their lives while securing peace across the globe.
In his message to the occasion, he said: “In carrying out this essential work, many peacemakers have paid the ultimate price. More than 4,200 peacemakers have lost their lives serving under the UN flag.
“We stand in sympathy and solidarity with their families, friends and colleagues, and will forever be inspired by their selfless devotion to the cause of peace.”