The Minister of Defence, Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to preserving the legacy of Nigerian troops who served in the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) peacekeeping operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Musa disclosed that efforts were underway to document outstanding military records, casualties and historical assets relating to the operations to ensure the sacrifices of Nigerian personnel were properly preserved for future generations.
The minister spoke when he received a delegation of ECOMOG veterans led by Major General Ohifeme Ejimai (retd.) at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant on Media to the minister, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to brief him on the group’s activities and ongoing initiatives.
Musa acknowledged the significant human and financial resources Nigeria committed to ECOMOG operations, particularly during peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
He stressed that Nigerian personnel who lost their lives while serving in the missions would not be forgotten, adding that the government was committed to ensuring their contributions to regional peace and stability received appropriate recognition.
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The minister assured the veterans that efforts to document outstanding records, casualties and historical assets would be completed to support their preservation for posterity.
Earlier, Ejimai provided an update on the condition of surviving Nigerian ECOMOG veterans, noting their readiness to continue contributing to national development and security.
He urged the Ministry of Defence to address gaps in the documentation of the missions and consider establishing a dedicated remembrance day for Nigerian troops who died during the operations.
Ejimai said such recognition would honour the hundreds of Nigerian personnel who sacrificed their lives in efforts to restore peace and stability across West Africa.
ECOMOG was established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1990 as a regional peacekeeping and peace enforcement force. Nigerian troops played a prominent role in its operations, particularly during the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The force undertook missions aimed at supporting peace efforts, protecting civilians and helping restore stability amid complex regional conflicts.
The renewed commitment to documenting ECOMOG’s history is expected to support efforts to preserve military records and recognise the contributions of veterans and fallen personnel to regional peacekeeping.