The Defence Headquarters Wednesday explained the presence of some United Nations peacekeeping fighting vehicles and equipment in Nigeria, which led to speculations in the social media.
There is no cause for alarm, it said.
Video clips of the troops sighted recently in Benin, Edo State, were circulated online, raising concern amongst Nigerians who wondered why they were in the country, with some making insinuations which the Defence Headquarters considered “inimical to public peace and may even cause panic.”
In a press statement signed by the Acting Director for Defence Information, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, however, the Defence Headquarters clarified the situation, saying, “Presently, Nigeria is contributing troops to various United Nations peace keeping operations. The most recent is United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), 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.’
Tukur added that 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 in our soil.”
