Germany will provide Nigeria with three million Euros to procure surveillance equipment, mobile medical care unit and other support services for the country’s armed forces.
This was announced by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, yesterday, at a joint news conference with the German Defence Minister, Ursala Von dar Leyen, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, in Abuja.
The German defence minister was in Abuja to hand over some military equipment donated to Nigeria.
Dan-Ali said the money would be provided through extension of the German Technical Advisory Group Agreement for three years, from 2017 to 2020.
The minister said in the existing agreement between the two countries, from 2012 to 2016, Germany donated two mobile care units with extensive care unit facilities to the country.
Dan-Ali also added that Germany donated Vallon metal detector/Improvised Explosive Device and Explosive Ordnance Disposal equipment, as well training of personnel and maintenance of the device.
He said Nigeria has also received three Mobile Tactical Ground Surveillance Radar systems from Germany for border security in the North East.
The minister thanked Germany for the assistance it has extended to the armed forces, to enhance capacity to fight Boko Haram.
“As we are all aware, terrorism is a threat to the existence of humanity and its development. We must, therefore, continue to stand resolute and united in our fight to stamp terrorism out of the planet,’’ Dan-Ali said.
In her remarks, the German defence minister noted that combating terrorism is both “difficult and dangerious.
“Everywhere, terrorists leave bloody trails of destruction and death and time and again, they single out the most vulnerable of their targets, like children, just like Boko Haram does in Nigeria.
“This is why it is in our common interest that the population at home, in my country, as well as here, in Nigeria, are safe, so that the economy can grow, again, because that is the basis for jobs and prosperity; so people can believe in the future of their homeland,’’ Leyen said.
The minister reiterated that, “terrorists abuse religion for their own evil purposes.
“Terrorists spread terror and violence all over the world; in France, Belgium, Aghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, Germany and here, in Nigeria.”
Leyen said the objective of the cooperation between her country and Nigeria is to assist the country to “conduct crisis prevention, crisis management and peace building operations.’’
“To compliment this, Germany is focusing on practical, very concrete issues – the capability and equipment the Nigerian servicemen need most urgently such as the protection against the many IEDs place by the Boko Haram.’’
She noted that Nigeria was fighting a hard but most important fight, assuring the support of her country.
Source:Sunnews
