Terrorism: Nigeria gets weapons from Jordan
President Muhammadu Buhari has thanked the Kingdom of Jordan for supporting Nigeria’s campaign against terrorism and insurgency with the donation of military hardware and pledge to further supply helicopters.
Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as speaking during a bilateral meeting with King Abdullah II shortly after his address to the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday in New York.
Buhari, according to Adesina yesterday, said the very expensive donation of about 200 Armoured Fighting Vehicles “reflects true concern for Nigeria’s security situation and genuine goodwill towards a friendly nation.”
The president also reassured King Abdullah of Nigeria’s commitment towards the proposed Aqaba Process with countries in the region as well as Nigeria’s willingness to play a leading role in bringing together countries in the West African sub-region into this collective security arrangement.
President Buhari pledged Nigeria’s continued desire for enhanced bilateral ties with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Jordanian King was said to have earlier told Buhari that his government was in the process of opening an embassy in Abuja in the next few months, and appreciated the support being extended to his country by the Nigerian government in this regard.
He told President Buhari that his National Security Adviser would soon be working out the final details of the Aqaba Process with his Nigerian counterpart.
Buhari was accompanied to the bilateral meeting, the third of its kind since the inception of the current administration, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd), and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Professor Tijjani Bande.
The presidential spokesman recalled: “Soon after President Buhari took office in 2015, the Jordanian King had offered a hand of friendship, cooperation and support for Nigeria in its fight against terrorism and insurgency. This resulted in the National Security Adviser undertaking two visits to Jordan to follow up on issues previously discussed with the King, and the donation of military hardware and pledge of further support.
“These gestures are aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s operational capabilities in the fight against terror both within the country and the Lake Chad Basin which affects neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger where the Multinational Joint Task Force is engaging the Boko Haram insurgents and terrorists.”
Adesina also said “it is anticipated that the first Aqaba Process for Nigeria and sister countries within the subregion with Jordan will be held in late November or early December 2017.”