Britain will help Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, the British Deputy Chief of Defence Staff on Military Strategy and Operations, Lieutenant General Gordon Messenger, has said.

He gave the assurance when he and other senior British military officers paid courtesy call on the Nigeria Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Gabriel Olonisakin at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

A statement issued yesterday in Abuja by Acting Director Defence Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, quoted Lt.-Gen. Messenger as stating that the essence of the visit of the senior British officials to Nigeria was to broaden the deep relationship and re-energise the bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Britain.

“He pointed out that they came to Nigeria for deliberations towards identifying the ideal area of collaboration to be adopted in the fight against insurgency and the best way to make it work. He stressed that the fight against terrorism is a multifaceted problem that demands strategy and careful exploration of grey areas in order to re-appraise the best support the British could offer.”

The statement said that apart from thanking the British officials for the visit and the determination of the Britain to assist Nigeria, the Nigeria Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Olonisakin, acknowledged all the assistance the Nigerian Armed Forces had enjoyed from Britain, especially in term of training and retraining of our personnel for capacity building to crush the insurgents, Boko Haram.

According to the statement, “Major General Olonisakin noted that the Nigerian Armed Forces is doing everything within its power to liquidate Boko Haram and its cells. This, the CDS said has received boost with the inauguration of new Multi-National Joint Task Force and the appointment of a Nigerian Commander. The MNJTF, he reiterated, is coordinating with the Nigerian Military command and control centre in the North East for effectiveness.

“Present at the occasion were the British Assistant Chief of Defence Staff on Defence Engagement, Rear Admiral Simon Ancona, top officials of British Embassy in Abuja and a list of high ranking Nigerian military officers.”

•Photo shows Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Olonisakin.

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