The Nigerian Army will be deploying 197 troops to the ECOWAS Peacekeeping Mission in The Gambia, the Chief of Operations of the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Major.-General Olufemi Akinjobi, has said.
Speaking on Thursday at the graduation ceremony of Nigerian Company 7, at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji in northern Kaduna State, Maj-Gen. Akinjobi said that Nigeria was committed to deploying quality peacekeepers for global peace and security.
Akinjobi, who was represented by Maj-Gen. Zakari Abubakar, Director, Peace Operations, Army Headquarters, explained that Nigeria had successfully participated in 40 peacekeeping missions across the globe and deployed more than100,000 peacekeepers since 1960.
According to him, the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia was established as an intervention mission to resolve the constitutional crisis that followed the disputed presidential election of 2016.
The mission, he said, had helped restore peace and stability.
Local media reports on Friday said that the 197 troops heading to The Gambia would comprise 12 officers and 185 soldiers and that Nigeria had before now deployed six separate companies to The Gambia.
GIK/APA