By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has said that dialogue with bandits, in resolving the violent crisis, is not an option, as many states have tried it and failed.
Ag. Director Press, Attari Hope, in a statement, said, the Minister stated this, when he played host to the European Union delegation led by the Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Ship House, Abuja.
Badaru appealed to the EU delegation to support the federal government’s effort to dismantle the network of insurgency in the North East and other emerging security threats across the country.
He also implored the EU for more support in the area of intelligence sharing and equipment to end the lingering crisis.
Reiterating calls for international support, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle said that Nigeria needs the support of the EU in areas of personnel training and provision of modern and sophisticated equipment to fight the insecurity surrounding the country.
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“We need to be proactive and preventive in the fight against all forms of criminalities in Nigeria,” he said.
He noted that the European Union can help, support and strengthen Nigerian Security agencies by finding workable solutions.
Earlier in her remarks, the Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi said that the EU is committed to ensuring that Nigeria overcomes the issues of insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and Boko haram.
She further added that European Union is concerned with three main geographical areas: the Northeast and Lake Chad basin ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents, the Niger Delta region where Government gets its revenue through oil and gas, and Maritime security.
She promised that the EU would deepen its Military support to end insurgency in Nigeria.
