The Federal Government on Monday sought the assistance of the United Kingdom, United Nations, and European countries, working under the framework of G-5 and the Sahel to tackle the escalating security crisis in the West African sub-region.
This is even as the United Kingdom pledged to help Nigerian Government in its effort to repatriate proceeds of corruption back to the country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama made this appeal when he received in audience, Ms. Vicky Ford, UK Member of Parliament and Minister for Africa, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
The Minister said that the UK has been involved in helping West Africa tackle the security challenges in the region.
He said: “A lot is going on now in Liberia, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso etc, and the UN is supporting to resolve the challenges. We look forward to continuing to cooperate with you in this area because we feel that it is not something that we can do alone in the sub-region. We need UN support and also the support of European countries that have been engaged in the framework of G-5 and the Sahel and another initiative”.
He noted that Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom are strong and are still growing stronger.
Noting that COVID-19 has created a lot of challenges for Nigeria and the rest of the world, Onyeama said that the country looks forward to more economic relations with the UK to surmount these challenges.
On the reasons for the visit, the Minister said, the cabinet minister from the UK was in Nigeria to discuss issues of governance, security, and economy.
“We just had in London, extensive meetings with the delegations looking at the security issues. And we also discussed in my office the global challenges that we all face together. We express our gratitude to your government for its support and cooperation in those areas. We face huge security challenges in our sub-region and also governance challenges. We appreciate the involvement of the government of the United Kingdom in helping us to address a number of those challenges,” he said.
Ms. Vicky Ford UK Member of Parliament and Minister for Africa said his country is assisting to return 210,000 pounds, corruption proceeds as part of its support to anti-corruption crusade of the incumbent administration.
According to her, “One of the things we are going to be doing today is signing commitment on corruption that includes returning of payment that the UK has been helping to tackle corruption. I will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN. …we are going to be returning 210,000 pounds, an illegal payment to secure a contract. We have been working to ensure that the illegal payment is returned”.
She also disclosed that the British Government is assisting Nigeria to revamp the moribund textile industry.
