Defence Headquarters has said Nigeria is not under any threat that will warrant the deployment of United Nations UN troops in the country.
This was contained in a statement issued by the acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, on Tuesday, in reaction to videos on social media showing military fighting vehicles in Nigeria branded in the colours of the UN.
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According to the statement, the vehicles were being moved to Warri Port from where they will join a United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei mission in southern Sudan.
The statement was titled, ‘No cause for alarm over presence of UN fighting vehicles, equipment in Nigeria’.
It read in part;
The Defence Headquarters hereby states that presently, Nigeria is contributing troops to various United Nations peacekeeping operations, the most recent is United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, Southern Sudan. The Mission is commanded by a Nigerian, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr.
It should be noted that the UN doesn’t have its own troops, rather it enters into agreement with troops contributing countries to provide their personnel and equipment for operations in its various missions.
Therefore, it is imperative to state emphatically that the military fighting vehicles and equipment painted in UN colour as sighted are being moved through the Warri port for movement to the mission area in Southern Sudan to marry up with our troops who were inducted into UNISFA mission last month.
The Defence Headquarters under the leadership of General Lucky Irabor CFR wishes to assure Nigerians that our nation is not under any threat that will warrant the deployment of United Nations troops on our soil.
