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Nigeria to Set up Stand-by Force for Emergency in S. Leone
The Nigerian government is considering to set up three stand-by battalions that could be deployed in Sierra Leone in case of any emergency, Nigerian press reported Wednesday.
Welcoming Kenya's Chief of General Staff Daudi Tonje in the capital Abuja on Tuesday, Nigeria's Chief of Defense Staff Ibrahim Ogohi said "the commitment of Nigeria to restoring peace in Sierra Leone is very clear."
Nigeria now has in the U.N. Peacekeeping Force in Sierra Leone four battalions and a tank company, the highest contributed by any country in the force.
"Out of the 11 battalions currently in the country, we have four battalions and a tank company. And we will be ready to contribute more if necessary," Ogohi said.
Tonje expressed his country's concerns over the U.N. force's mandate, saying "if you want to bring peace, you must lay the conditions for that peace to prosper."
"The UNAMSIL must change its mandate from peacekeeping to peace- making, or Kenya may consider the withdrawal of its soldiers from the peacekeeping mission," he said.
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