FORMER Polish Ambassador to
Nigeria, Grezgorz Walinski has said that Nigeria
has spent about $13 billion on peacekeeping
operations since 1960 and has also sent over
250,000 members of the Nigerian armed
forces to the United Nation’s sponsored missions worldwide. Ambassador Walinski disclosed this at the
stakeholders’ dinner reception for the Nigeria
Security Exhibition and Conference, 2014,
organised by First Security Guards Limited in
Abuja. He noted that despite the numerous
contributions of the country in peace
operations, it was assumed that the country
had not taken full advantage of its active
participation in the numerous peace operations
around the world by not getting commensurate economic, military and political remuneration
for its participation. He cited countries like Ghana that had also
participated in numerous UN PSOs but
generated funds through the process to defray
the costs of sustaining its military, while
Nigeria on the other hand had largely allegedly
deprived itself of such benefits. According to him, the country started
peacekeeping operations few days after her
independence in 1960 in Congo and since then,
the country’s forces have participated in many
operations across the globe under varying
international legal authority executing a variety of operational mandates. He said: “Her contribution to the UN
peacekeeping operations is only surpassed by
those of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Over
250,000 members of the Nigerian armed
forces have participated in UN sponsored
missions worldwide.” “Having been involved in 40 of the 55
peacekeeping missions of the UN, Nigeria has
now participated in 73 percent of all UN
peacekeeping operations. Four of these
missions have been commanded by Nigeria
senior military officers. Nigeria currently has about 6, 000 peacekeepers in various
flashpoints, 4, 000 of which are in Darfur,
Sudan,” he stated. The former Polish Ambassador to Nigeria
further said that many potential conflicts were
effectively prevented due to Nigerian
diplomacy. Therefore, Nigeria’s direct
involvement as chief mediator in a number of
territorial disputes and crises effectively allowed to avoid them and in consequence
eliminated the threat of their development into
full-scale conflicts. Ambassador Walinski noted that the
international community was getting fatigued
and increasingly reluctant to intervene in
Africa’s conflicts, adding, “During last two
decades, we witnessed gradual but inevitable
shift from foreign intervention carried on by European military contingents to
establishments and strengthening of Africa’s
own capability to prevent, to monitor and to
resolve crises which inevitably will erupt.” He said that the country was faced with
myriads of security challenges but added that
the “Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor
Viola Onwuliri has assured the international
community that Nigeria would continue to work
in the area of preventive diplomacy.” He said the main problem of the country was
terrorism, though it would not change the
country’s position as regional leader, stressing
that the country had always succeeded in
learning from her experiences and making her
experiences the source of even greater power. He also said that the idea of organizing the
security exhibition at the FCT was important as
it served as a forum where all actors both state
and private sectors and those that have the
right to use power and those who can supply
them with the products would come together and discuss security matters and also proffer
solutions. Speaking earlier, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of First Security Guards who also is the
chief organizer of NISEC, 2014, Frank Ohwafa
said the reception was organized to bring
together all stakeholders in preparation for the
2014 Nigeria Security Exhibition and Conference, NISEC, homeland security show. Ohwafa said First Security Guards had in the
past collaborated with other security agencies
in areas of capacity building and competence
needed in an ever changing environment to
fight and combat crime and criminality. “In year 2007, First Security Guards signed a
partnership with the Nigeria Police to train and
retrain her personnel in contemporary policing
and crime fighting,” he stated and commended
the National Security Adviser for using his
office and appointment to promote peace and security, enduring lasting security platforms
for better coordination of the security
agencies.
Nigeria, Grezgorz Walinski has said that Nigeria
has spent about $13 billion on peacekeeping
operations since 1960 and has also sent over
250,000 members of the Nigerian armed
forces to the United Nation’s sponsored missions worldwide. Ambassador Walinski disclosed this at the
stakeholders’ dinner reception for the Nigeria
Security Exhibition and Conference, 2014,
organised by First Security Guards Limited in
Abuja. He noted that despite the numerous
contributions of the country in peace
operations, it was assumed that the country
had not taken full advantage of its active
participation in the numerous peace operations
around the world by not getting commensurate economic, military and political remuneration
for its participation. He cited countries like Ghana that had also
participated in numerous UN PSOs but
generated funds through the process to defray
the costs of sustaining its military, while
Nigeria on the other hand had largely allegedly
deprived itself of such benefits. According to him, the country started
peacekeeping operations few days after her
independence in 1960 in Congo and since then,
the country’s forces have participated in many
operations across the globe under varying
international legal authority executing a variety of operational mandates. He said: “Her contribution to the UN
peacekeeping operations is only surpassed by
those of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Over
250,000 members of the Nigerian armed
forces have participated in UN sponsored
missions worldwide.” “Having been involved in 40 of the 55
peacekeeping missions of the UN, Nigeria has
now participated in 73 percent of all UN
peacekeeping operations. Four of these
missions have been commanded by Nigeria
senior military officers. Nigeria currently has about 6, 000 peacekeepers in various
flashpoints, 4, 000 of which are in Darfur,
Sudan,” he stated. The former Polish Ambassador to Nigeria
further said that many potential conflicts were
effectively prevented due to Nigerian
diplomacy. Therefore, Nigeria’s direct
involvement as chief mediator in a number of
territorial disputes and crises effectively allowed to avoid them and in consequence
eliminated the threat of their development into
full-scale conflicts. Ambassador Walinski noted that the
international community was getting fatigued
and increasingly reluctant to intervene in
Africa’s conflicts, adding, “During last two
decades, we witnessed gradual but inevitable
shift from foreign intervention carried on by European military contingents to
establishments and strengthening of Africa’s
own capability to prevent, to monitor and to
resolve crises which inevitably will erupt.” He said that the country was faced with
myriads of security challenges but added that
the “Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor
Viola Onwuliri has assured the international
community that Nigeria would continue to work
in the area of preventive diplomacy.” He said the main problem of the country was
terrorism, though it would not change the
country’s position as regional leader, stressing
that the country had always succeeded in
learning from her experiences and making her
experiences the source of even greater power. He also said that the idea of organizing the
security exhibition at the FCT was important as
it served as a forum where all actors both state
and private sectors and those that have the
right to use power and those who can supply
them with the products would come together and discuss security matters and also proffer
solutions. Speaking earlier, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of First Security Guards who also is the
chief organizer of NISEC, 2014, Frank Ohwafa
said the reception was organized to bring
together all stakeholders in preparation for the
2014 Nigeria Security Exhibition and Conference, NISEC, homeland security show. Ohwafa said First Security Guards had in the
past collaborated with other security agencies
in areas of capacity building and competence
needed in an ever changing environment to
fight and combat crime and criminality. “In year 2007, First Security Guards signed a
partnership with the Nigeria Police to train and
retrain her personnel in contemporary policing
and crime fighting,” he stated and commended
the National Security Adviser for using his
office and appointment to promote peace and security, enduring lasting security platforms
for better coordination of the security
agencies.
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