Germany Government donates €3m and military equipment to Nigeria

Minister of Defense

The German government on Sunday donated military equipment and the sum of €3m to fight insurgency in the North-East region.

The German Minister of Defence, Dr. Ursula Von der Layen, handed over the equipment to her Nigerian counterpart, Mansur Dan-Ali, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, saying that the donation was done under the 2012-2016 Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries.

The equipment included Vallon Metal Detector, Ground Surveillance Radar System, Counter-Improvised Explosive Device and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Equipment.

Von der Layen clarified that the assistance did not extend to the sale of sophisticated military weapons.

She said, “When I meet my counterparts around the world, the topic at the top of the agenda is always the same; the fight against terrorism and extremism– these are terrorists who use religion for their own evil purposes.

“Everywhere, terrorists sit behind a blind trail of destruction and death; they seek the vulnerable like children, just like the Boko Haram does in Nigeria.

“Therefore, combating the enemy of this nature is mostly difficult and dangerous. It is in our common interest that the population in my country and here in Nigeria is saved.”

Dan-Ali said the equipment would be deployed effectively.

[Olaleye Aluko/Punch]