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The European Union (EU) plans to deliver €20 million in defence assistance to the Nigerian Armed Forces under the European Peace Facility to strengthen ongoing counter-insecurity operations.
Minister of Defence Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.) announced the support on Saturday following a bilateral meeting in Abuja with the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS Gautier Mignot.
An EU technical delegation will visit Abuja in November to finalise delivery arrangements and review security cooperation between Nigeria and the bloc.
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Expressing gratitude for the EU’s support, Musa noted that joint efforts by the military and security agencies are gradually restoring relative peace across the country.
However, he highlighted persistent challenges, including highway kidnappings and raids on remote communities, while confirming that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is acquiring 10 attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles to boost operational capacity.
Musa stated, “Relative peace is gradually returning due to the laudable efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies… Nigeria is expecting the delivery of ten attack helicopters, UAVs and other major enablers with the effort of the President.”
Musa also warned that the shrinking Lake Chad Basin poses long-term regional instability risks, emphasising that the Multinational Joint Task Force remains focused on clearing terrorist enclaves from Lake Chad’s islands.
Ambassador Mignot commended Nigeria’s regional leadership and invited the minister to attend an upcoming EU defence ministers’ conference in Brussels.
