Nigeria, UN deepen cooperation on human rights, peacekeeping

Nigeria and the United Nations have strengthened their partnership on human rights protection and victims’ rights advocacy, with the Federal Government reaffirming its commitment to international humanitarian law and globally accepted human rights standards in all military operations.

The commitment was reiterated by Christopher Musa, Minister of Defence, during a diplomatic working visit by Najla Nassif Palma, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Victims’ Rights Advocate, and her delegation to the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja.

Musa assured the UN delegation that Nigeria remains dedicated to upholding international humanitarian principles and maintaining high standards of accountability within its military institutions.

He emphasised that the Armed Forces of Nigeria continue to align their operations with international best practices aimed at protecting civilians and safeguarding human rights.

The Defence Minister also highlighted measures put in place by the Federal Government to address concerns arising from past foreign peacekeeping missions involving Nigerian personnel.

According to him, government authorities have established comprehensive frameworks to deal with historical issues linked to earlier international deployments.

According to a statement by Leah Katung-Babatunde, SA (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence, key focus of the discussions was the resolution of long-standing paternity claims associated with legacy peacekeeping operations in Liberia.

Musa disclosed that a transparent and effective communication mechanism had been created to facilitate the prompt resolution of the cases and bring closure to a matter that has remained unresolved for decades.

He assured the UN team that Nigeria would continue to cooperate fully with relevant international bodies to ensure that outstanding issues connected to the legacy cases are handled in a fair, transparent and humane manner.

In her remarks, Palma revealed that the United Nations is currently reviewing 42 legacy cases and appealed for Nigeria’s support in helping affected victims obtain justice and closure.

She noted that some of the individuals impacted by the cases have expressed interest in acquiring Nigerian citizenship, underscoring the complex humanitarian dimensions of the matter.

The UN official stressed the importance of sustained collaboration between Nigeria and the United Nations in addressing the concerns of victims and ensuring that their rights are protected.

She also commended the willingness of Nigerian authorities to engage constructively on the issue.