Bomba Dauda
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law and globally accepted human rights standards in all military operations, as Nigeria and the United Nations moved to strengthen cooperation on human rights and victims’ rights advocacy.
The assurance was given by the Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), OFR, during a diplomatic working visit by the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Victims’ Rights Advocate, Ms. Najla Nassif Palma, and her delegation at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Ship House, Abuja.
General Musa highlighted the measures put in place by the Federal Government to address historical issues arising from past foreign peacekeeping operations. He informed the UN delegation that Nigeria has established a transparent and effective communication framework aimed at facilitating the resolution of long-standing paternity claims linked to legacy peacekeeping missions in Liberia.
According to the minister, the mechanism is designed to ensure the prompt handling of outstanding cases and bring lasting closure to issues that have remained unresolved for decades.
Speaking during the meeting, Ms. Palma disclosed that the United Nations is currently reviewing 42 legacy cases and appealed for Nigeria’s cooperation in ensuring justice and closure for affected victims. She added that some of those involved have expressed interest in obtaining Nigerian citizenship.
The UN official commended ongoing efforts and stressed the importance of continued collaboration between Nigeria and the United Nations in advancing victims’ rights and accountability.
At the end of the engagement, both parties agreed to institutionalise a stronger partnership focused on human rights protection. The proposed collaboration will include specialised training programmes, joint workshops and capacity-building initiatives aimed at further integrating human rights principles into the operational doctrine of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The meeting underscored Nigeria’s commitment to upholding international obligations while strengthening cooperation with global institutions on human rights and justice-related issues.
