President Bola Tinubu has approved the deployment of Nigerian soldiers for a peacekeeping mission in Guinea-Bissau.

Specifically, the Nigerian Army announced on Wednesday the deployment of 177 personnel for a peacekeeping mission in Guinea-Bissau.

The army’s chief of operations, Boniface Sinjen, announced this at the graduation ceremony of troops of Nigerian Company 3 ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau at Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC) Jaji.

Mr Sinjen said, “Guinea-Bissau is grappling with political instability and institutional crisis, which poses a significant threat to peace and sustainable development in the sub-region.”

He, however, said the Nigerian Government, through  ECOWAS, stood united with the government and people of Guinea-Bissau.

Mr Sinjen said the graduation reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to supporting the government of Guinea-Bissau to consolidate its authority.

This is to address the security challenges, strengthen democratic governance and foster stability in the country.

“This deployment is in line with the mandate of the mission which has been extended severally to consolidate the relative peace and stability in the country. You gallant men of the Nigerian Army have been trained by this renowned Centre of Excellence to play that critical role.

“This Pre-Deployment Training (PDT) has equipped you with the necessary tactical skills and knowledge to support the government of Guinea-Bissau in stabilizing the country.

“I, therefore, urge you to remain committed to upholding the principles of ECOWAS peacekeeping operations,” he said.

The chief of operations charged the troops to be professional in accordance with these guidelines of the mission.

“You will be operating in a complex and diverse environment where various ethnic groups coexist. I implore you to maintain the highest level of professionalism, discipline and respect for human rights and the sovereignty of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

“As ambassadors of Nigeria, your behaviour will reflect on the nation’s image, so I urge you to uphold the highest standards of conduct and maintain the integrity of our esteemed profession,” he said.

Mr Sinjen urged them to embody the core values of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and refrain from any actions that could compromise the mission’s objectives or undermine our nation’s reputation.

He emphasised that the Armed Forces of Nigeria have a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation and abuse.

“Any personnel found guilty of such offences will face severe consequences,” he warned.

Mr Sinjen cautioned that drug trafficking and abuse were grave offences that would not be condoned in any form.

“The Nigerian Army’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of discipline and integrity remains unbroken,” he added.

Mr Sinjen appreciated the chief of army staff, Taoreed  Lagbaja, for his unwavering commitment to enhancing the effectiveness of peacekeeping troops through realistic training, which was one of the key pillars of his command philosophy.

“His leadership and vision have been instrumental in shaping the readiness and capabilities of our troops and I am deeply appreciative of his support,” he said.

Earlier, the commandant of MLAILPKC, Ademola Adedoja, said the PDT that began on May 19, was designed to prepare the contingent on contemporary peacekeeping operations for a successful tour of duty in Guinea-Bissau.

Mr Adedoja said that during the PDT, the troops were exposed to lectures on contemporary peacekeeping operations, emphasising the peculiar nature of the security challenges facing Guinea-Bissau.

He said the training package also included comprehensive lectures on the background and current situations in the mission area and the mission’s mandate.

(NAN)