The UK has donated highly technical, non-lethal military equipment worth up to N1 billion (£450,000) to the Nigerian Armed Forces, further enhancing the ongoing partnership between the British military and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The donation supports Nigeria’s fight against violent extremist organisations in the northeastern Nigeria.
The donation of equipment complements a new and significant package of courses delivered by the British military. A team of 20 personnel from the British Army are currently living and working in Maiduguri, delivering a course focused on enhancing the critical skills needed for continued operations against violent extremist organisations in the region.
The equipment was received by the Joint Task Force North East (JTF NE) Theatre Commander, Major General Wahidi Shaibu at a handover ceremony in Maiduguri.
Speaking at the ceremony, the deputy head of the British Defence Staff (West Africa) & Commander [of the] British military training teams in Nigeria, Colonel Martin Leach said:
“I am delighted to be here today to hand over this equipment and mark another development in the strong partnership between the United Kingdom and Nigeria. The UK stands with Nigeria in the continued fight against violent extremist organisations in the North East.”
A statement by the senior communications & public diplomacy officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office at the British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe said seven more courses will be delivered between now and February 2025, focussing on training Nigerian Army personnel in the specialist skills required for future operations in northeastern Nigeria.
In addition, the UK currently has personnel attached temporarily to the Theatre Counter-IED coordination cell in Maiduguri, working with their Nigerian counterparts to develop intelligence on the terror networks that are killing civilians and soldiers with IEDs.
