Skip to main content

FG to send 700 soldiers to Liberia

Even as the dreaded Boko Haram sect keeps tormenting the North-Eastern part of the country, no fewer than 700 officers and men of the Nigerian Army would depart the country for a peacekeeping operation in Monrovia, Liberia on Monday.

They were, however, warned to abide by the rules of engagement and respect the culture and tradition of the Liberian people during their stay in Liberia.

The General Officer Commanding, One Mechanised Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj-Gen. Kenneth Osuji, stated this at the graduation of troops at a pre-deployment training held at the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, near Kaduna on Friday.

Osuji was also GOC of the 1 Brigade made up of the Nigerian Battalion 36 in the United Nations Mission in Liberia.

Osuji warned the troops against contracting the dreaded Ebola virus while in Liberia.

He also charged the officers to portray the country in a good light by avoiding any act capable of embarrassing the army.

Osuji said, “Be reminded that the Nigerian Army will not accept any situation where its troops are seen as soft targets or conducting themselves in unprofessional manners like engaging in the trafficking of illicit substances of any kind including alcohol and drugs.

“You must respect the cultural and religious sensitivity of the people of Liberia. You must exhibit the highest sense of personal/environmental hygiene as Liberia is just emerging from an Ebola epidemic.”

The Commandant, Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Maj-Gen. Imimitomi Birigeni, had earlier in his speech, said the pre-deployment training which commenced three weeks ago, was intensive and comprehensive in line with the United Nations pre-deployment modules.

Birigeni added that the troops had been trained on the requisite skills to operate under any prevailing conditions.

Comments

Popular Posts

Taraba urged to increase resources to curb HIV/AIDS

The Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) has called on the Taraba State Government to comply with the global-based recommendations by allocating 15 percent of the state’s budget to the health sector. The Taraba State Chapter of the group also called on the state House of Assembly to prioritize the disease in their budgetary allocation for the year 2015/2016. The call was made on Tuesday during the commencement of a five-day massive awareness campaign on the disease by NEPWHAN in collaboration with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) -SURE-P HIV/AIDS programme. National Coordinator of NEPWHAN, Edward Ogenyi, expressed dismay at the way and manner the disease has being on the increase in the state. In Taraba State, the HIV prevalence is 10,5 percent which is above the national average of 3,1. “The total number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the state is about 110 849 and those eligible for HIV treatment is 54 120,” Ogenyi noted. He fel...