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Eighty-six Nigerian troops have been deployed to Guinea-Bissau as part of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission, the army announced on Saturday, reaffirming Nigeria’s role in regional peacekeeping efforts.
The contingent, designated Nigerian Company 5 (NIGCOY 5 ESSMGB), departed Abuja aboard a Nigerian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft and arrived safely in Guinea-Bissau to commence operations under the ECOWAS mandate.
Prior to their departure, Major General Mayirenso Saraso, the army’s Chief of Operations, addressed the troops at the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Forward Operating Base in Abuja.
He was represented by Brigadier General M.M. Idris, Director of Peace Support Operations.
Saraso urged the personnel to uphold professionalism and discipline throughout the mission, serve as worthy representatives of Nigeria, respect the laws and customs of the host nation, and maintain zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, substance abuse and indiscipline.
The deployment reinforces Nigeria’s leadership in ECOWAS peace support efforts, the army said, adding that the country remains one of Africa’s foremost contributors to regional and international peacekeeping missions.
The ESSMGB was established to support security sector reforms and preserve political stability in Guinea-Bissau following years of political crises and repeated military interventions. It succeeded the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), which was deployed after the 2012 coup.
Nigeria has consistently been one of the largest troop contributors to ECOWAS peace support operations, providing personnel, logistics, and leadership for missions across West Africa, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau.
The deployment comes as ECOWAS faces growing security and political challenges across West Africa, including military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as persistent violence in the Sahel.
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NIGERIAN ARMY DEPLOYS ANOTHER BATCH OF TROOPS TO ECOWAS PEACE SUPPORT MISSION IN GUINEA-BISSAU
The Nigerian Army has deployed another contingent of troops to the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB), reaffirming Nigeria’s unwavering… pic.twitter.com/7JSzLfQ5oD
— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) August 1, 2026
