Nigeria and other members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will contribute 3,000 troops to the United Nations Intervention Mission to check Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram in Mali .
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps plans to send 200 members of its armed squad to join the team.
It was also learnt yesterday that the United Nations Security Council will meet tomorrow to consider the Action Plan for the intervention in Mali.
But, unlike a similar campaign in Liberia, the UN will solely bear the cost of the mission in Mali.
According to a highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence on the Mali mission, the troops will be deployed immediately after approval by the Security Council.
The source said: “We are set for the military intervention in Mali anytime from now. On the whole, ECOWAS will send a 3,000-man force to that country to check the Al-Qaeda Movement and their allies like Boko Haram.
“All ECOWAS members will contribute troops in proportion to their population and military strength. The details are already being worked out by military chiefs of all the countries.”
A report of the Action Plan will be submitted and considered by the UN Security Council tomorrow, said the source, who stressed that the operation “won’t be like ECOMOG in Liberia which was one-sided and mainly shouldered by Nigeria”.
Responding to a question, the source added: “The military is working out the cost, which will be funded by the UN. Do not forget, it is, however, purely a UN operation.
“We have just received a report that contributions to the Force might come from outside because some European nations have shown interest to be part of the intervention.”
Asked why the UN opted for the military intervention, the source, a senior government official who pleaded not to be named, said: “If Mali becomes the den of Al-Qaeda , Nigeria will feel the effects more because we are already grappling with Boko Haram crisis.
“You can imagine the whole of West Africa under terrorist siege; we won’t be able to cope at all. Already, over 200,000 families have been displaced in Northern Mali .
“Some people have been criticising the Federal Government for encouraging ECOWAS members for this mission, but we are talking of the survival of this country.”
A source in NSDC said: “About 200 officers and men of our armed squad might be part of the troops to be deployed in Mali .
“Already, they are undergoing orientation on this mission. We are eager to join the Force because it will be a major test for our armed unit.”
Besides its 2071 Resolution, the UN Security Council had on October 12 given ECOWAS a 45-day deadline to finalise the Action Plan to liberate Northern Mali from militants.
The resolution, drafted by France, called for “detailed and actionable recommendations” to be presented to the Security Council within the specified time.
It urged UN member states and regional and international organizations to provide “co-ordinated assistance, expertise, training and capacity-building support” to Mali’s armed forces. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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All I will say is that they should beware of this so called european forces who declared interest because they always have needs wy they go for a mission and Nigeria distingration is one of their biggest wish. so they want be close in Mali and stimulate a revolt for seccession in Nigeria using the interested local which they might lure.
ReplyDeleteI love Nigeria, so our forces should be alert.