The United Kingdom (UK) has expressed concern over the current state of insecurity in Nigeria following the spike in the reported cases of killings, kidnapping, banditry among others in the country recently.
Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, said UK’s envoy has observed that the most populous black nation is currently facing a lot of security challenges, adding that the situation is a major concern for her country.
For more than a decade, Nigeria has been experiencing incessant killings by suspected herdsmen. Also, the Boko Haram insurgent have been involved in several kidnappings and killings which included the abduction of about 276 schoolgirls from chibok in April 2014 and the abduction of over 100 schoolgirls from Dapchi in February, 2018.
Reacting, Laing, stated that the security situation in Nigeria is becoming alarming, calling for a concrete measure in the battle against the challenge.
The high commissioner stated this in her address at a reception organised for the 2019/2020 UK Chevening Scholarship beneficiaries.
Recall that the UK government had awarded 49 Nigerians scholarship under the 2020/2021 Chevening programme.
Speaking, Laing cited the numerous reported incidents of banditry, insurgency, clashes between Fulani herders and farmers, among other range of criminal activities.
She, however, assured that the UK is willing and committed to offering support to the Nigerian government on tacking the consistent criminal activities.
She also noted that the UK government had been providing support to the Nigerian Army, through training, campaign planning, and counter-IEDS.
In her words, “We are extremely concerned about the deteriorating security situation.”
“In the Northeast, terrorism; in the Northwest, banditry, kidnapping; in the Middle Belt, the farmers the reef’s conflict.”
UK high commissioner to Nigeria
“In the South, the Niger Delta conflict…and the secession movements in the Southeast. Nigeria is really struggling.”
“Your insecurity becomes our insecurity if we don’t help you tackle it. We are trying to do our best to support you,” NAN quoted her as saying.
