The Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations have agreed to institutionalize a partnership aimed at strengthening human rights protections and resolving long-standing paternity claims linked to past military peacekeeping missions.
The agreement was reached on Wednesday during a diplomatic working visit by the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Victims’ Rights Advocate, Ms. Najla Nassif Palma, to the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), at the Ship House in Abuja.
In a statement issued by Leah Katung-Babatunde, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence and made available to Channel Network Afrique, CNA indicates that General Musa reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to international humanitarian law and the strict adherence to global human rights standards across all military operations.
Addressing historical challenges from past foreign peacekeeping deployments, the Minister assured the UN delegation of a transparent and seamless communication channel.
This mechanism is specifically designated to expeditiously resolve decades-old paternity claims arising from legacy missions in Liberia.
During the briefing, Ms. Palma disclosed that 42 legacy cases are currently under review.
She sought the collaborative support of the Nigerian government to secure justice and closure for the victims, noting that some of the affected individuals have expressed a desire to acquire Nigerian citizenship.
To prevent future occurrences and embed human rights protection deeper into the operational doctrine of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, both officials agreed to establish specialized training, joint workshops, and advanced capacity-building initiatives.
