The Defence Headquarters has called for calm over viral social media video clips of the presence of some United Nations Peacekeeping fighting vehicles and equipment sighted recently in Benin, Edo state.
According to the Defence Headquarters in a statement on Tuesday signed by the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General, Tikir Gusai, the country is contributing troops to various United Nations Peacekeeping operations, of which the most recent is the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), Southern Sudan.
It also stated that the mission is commanded by Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr of which the UN doesn’t have its own troops, but has entered into an agreement with troops contributing countries to provide their personnel and equipment for operations in its various missions.
Addressing the case of the viral video it said, “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.”
“The Defence Headquarters under the leadership of General Lucky Irabor CFR wish to assure Nigerians that our nation is not under any threat that will warrant the deployment of United Nations troops on our soil.”
