The United Kingdom has bolstered Nigeria’s fight against violent extremism in the North East, donating non-lethal military equipment valued at one billion Naira to the Nigerian Army.
The technical gear, estimated at four hundred and fifty thousand pounds, (£450,000), was officially handed over to the Joint Task Force North East (JTF NE) by the UK.
A statement by the British High Commission in Abuja explains that a British Army team of 20 personnel is also on-ground in Maiduguri, conducting training sessions to strengthen Nigerian troops’ operational skills.
It says the training initiative includes seven more courses scheduled through February 2025, all aimed at equipping Nigerian soldiers with specialized skills for counter-terrorism operations.
At the handover ceremony, the Deputy Head of British Defence Staff in West Africa Colonel Martin Leach, emphasized the UK’s commitment to Nigeria’s security, saying, “The UK stands with Nigeria in the continued fight against violent extremist organisations in the North East.”
Furthermore, UK personnel are currently collaborating within the Theatre Counter-IED Coordination Cell, working alongside Nigerian forces to counter IED threats posed by terror networks in the region.