The Federal Government has stated its readiness to deepen bilateral relations with the European Union on security cooperation.
The Acting Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, Mr Hope Attari, announced this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, made this known when he received the delegation of the European External Actions Service on Wednesday, at the Ship House.
Badaru said that Nigeria as a nation was desirous of restoring partnership with the EU and strengthening collaboration with the union to combat violent extremism, maintaining peace and security as well as enhancing regional cooperation.
He said the country needed intelligence and security equipment from the EU to fight insecurity in the country.
He identified the major challenges facing the country to include banditry in the North West and North Central, Boko Haram in the North East, Oil vandalism in the South-South, sectional agitation in the South East and general insecurity at the Gulf of Guinea and the Lake Chad region.
Also, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, said that Nigeria as the “Giant of Africa” needed the cooperation of the EU in the fight against insecurity bedevilling the country.
He stated that the safety of Nigeria was the safety of Africa, he then called for cooperation of the EU in the fight against insecurity in the country.
The Head of the delegation, Deputy Secretary General of the EEAS, Helena Konig, had earlier said the purpose of the visit was to seek Nigeria’s area of priorities in terms of security issues where the EU could intervene.
Konig further said that the areas to focus would be discussed extensively at the forth coming high ministerial meeting.
She said EU wants to work extensively with Nigeria in counter terrorism, to stabilise the region, considering that the country was a strong supporter in maintaining the Africa territorial region.
