New Telegraph

Reps okay bill to regulate peacekeeping operations

The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to regulate peacekeeping operations by the armed forces, police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security organisations.

Titled: “A Bill for an Act to Provide for Statutory Regulations of Peace Keeping Operations by Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Other Security Organisations; and for Related Matters (HB.321)” is sponsored by Wole Oke, (PDP, Osun).

Leading the debate, Oke said since independence, Nigeria has been a frontline state and major contributor to United Nations (UN) and non-UN peacekeeping initiatives, and in 1960, deployed the first set of individual police officers in Africa.

The lawmaker said Nigeria has spent over $8 billion on peacekeeping missions it provided within the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) in countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone.

He also said the proposed legislation stipulates that all costs to be incurred in a peacekeeping mission must be first appropriated by the National Assembly and costs that will be reimbursed by the United Nations or similar body can later be reimbursed.

He further argued that the bill seeks to provide a clear guide on the compensation regime for security personnel that are involved in peacekeeping operations and suffer from some form of bodily or physical and mental or emotional injury.

Oke expressed optimism that when passed into law, it would strengthen the Nigerian experience in future peacekeeping operations and would define the boundaries and set out the regulatory framework for that purpose.

He said: “The legendary feats of our gallant armed forces remain evident in countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone where we poured human and material resources to bring peace to those troubled states at that time.

“In 2004, Nigerian troops were deployed to Darfur as a part of the African Union Mission in Sudan. Nigeria also provided 1,200 troops and 200 police officers to Mali in 2004.

“It is, however, surprising that despite the fact that we have been a major contributor to UN and non-UN peacekeeping missions, Nigeria does not have a regulatory framework that guides the deployment and withdrawal of Nigerian troops and security personnel from conflict zones. Interestingly, Nigerian law does not contain a single provision on this subject matter.

“Hence, where there is the need to deploy troops and security personnel outside the shores of Nigeria, the Constitution does not make any specific provision for this and the practice has been that the president simply gives his approval for involvement in peacekeeping mission(s).”

The bill was passed after contributions by the House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, and Chairman of the House Committee on Army, Abdulrazak Namdas.

Read Previous

2023: Osinbajo most qualified to succeed Buhari – Group

Read Next

Convention: APC rakes in N140m from Chairmanship Nomination Forms

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *