Nigeria and the United Nations have agreed to deepen cooperation on human rights protection, victims’ rights advocacy and military capacity development, reinforcing efforts to integrate international humanitarian standards into the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The commitment was made during a strategic meeting between the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), and the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Victims’ Rights Advocate, Ms Najla Nassif Palma, at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the discussions centred on strengthening institutional frameworks for human rights compliance, addressing legacy issues arising from past peacekeeping operations and expanding cooperation on victims’ rights advocacy.
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During the meeting, the Ministry of Defence briefed the United Nations delegation on measures adopted by the Federal Government to address historical issues linked to previous peacekeeping missions.
The Minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to transparency and accountability, assuring the delegation that communication mechanisms had been established to facilitate the resolution of longstanding paternity claims connected with past operations in Liberia.
For the United Nations, the matter remains a significant victims’ rights concern. Palma disclosed that 42 legacy cases are currently under review and sought continued cooperation from the Nigerian authorities in pursuing justice and support for those affected.
The delegation also noted that some of those involved had expressed interest in acquiring Nigerian citizenship.
Beyond the legacy cases, both parties identified military human rights training and institutional capacity development as key areas for future collaboration.
The partnership is expected to include specialised training programmes, workshops and capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening the integration of human rights principles into military planning and operations.
