By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
United Nations (UN) has assured Nigeria that it would support her with a specially trained force to end the activities of Boko Haram sect, saying terrorism “has now become an international headache.”
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Africa, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambers revealed this yesterday in Abuja when he met the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau.
Chambers, who was the first to pay the minister a visit, said Dambazzau’s appointment, as the country’s interior minister was a good step, saying that “Nigeria internal security will know the difference.”
He said: “While it is important to maintain the military aspect of the fight against Boko Haram, we need to expand it to include other security agencies and stakeholders because terrorism is of asymmetrical dimension.
“The UN will fully mobilise to support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism and any other renegade behaviour that threatens the peace and stability of the country.”
According to him, the UN appreciates the intrinsic link between peace, security and socio-economic development.
Chambers pledged to continue to work with various security agencies and explore possibilities of training in the area of counter-terrorism.
Responding, the interior minister, Danbazzau, said there was the need for effective infrastructure development and that of security architecture.
He argued that peace and development must work together for any society to achieve meaningful progress.
“Security and welfare is the purpose of government. We must work to ensure the best for our people. Also, aspect of law and order must be taken seriously by all.”
Dambazzau also called on the Nigerian Customs service and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to step up their activities against criminals who engage in trans-border crime.