The Nigerian army has sent about 200 soldiers to join a coalition army to oust President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia.
Nigeria has sent troops and jets to Senegal en route Gambia to force Jammeh out
Nigeria has sent 200 soldiers and air assets including fighter jets
to Senegal as part of a regional force to enforce the result of
Gambia’s contested election, the country’s air force said Wednesday.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it had “today moved a
contingent of 200 men and air assets comprising fighter jets, transport
aircraft, light utility helicopter as well as intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance aircraft to Dakar from where it is expected to
operate into Gambia”.
The Economic Community Of West African States has repeatedly called
on leader Yahya Jammeh to respect the result of the December 1 election
and step down after 22 years in power.
Jammeh on Tuesday declared a state of emergency as President-elect
Adama Barrow, who is currently in Senegal, maintained his inauguration
will go ahead as planned on Thursday on Gambian soil.
Nigeria said the forces were part of an ECOWAS military standby intervention force “tasked by ECOWAS heads of state to enforce the December 1, 2016 election mandate in The Gambia”.
“The deployment is also to forestall hostilities or breakdown
of law and order that may result from the current political impasse in
The Gambia,” it added in a statement.
Read the full statement by the Nigerian Air Force spokesperson below.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed to Senegal as part of
Nigerian contingent of Economic Community of West African States
Military Intervention in Gambia (ECOMIG) – a standby force tasked by
ECOWAS Heads of State to enforce the December 1, 2016 election mandate
in the The Gambia. The NAF today moved a contingent of 200 men and air
assets comprising fighter jets, transport aircraft, Light Utility
Helicopter as well as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
aircraft to Dakar from where it is expected to operate into Gambia. The
deployment is also to forestall hostilities or breakdown of law and
order that may result from the current political impasse in The Gambia.
Addressing the contingent before departure, the Chief of the Air
Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar urged the troops to maintain
discipline and be professional in their conduct. Reminding them to be
good ambassadors of Nigeria, the CAS stated that no act of indiscipline
by the contingent would be tolerated. The contingent, led by Air Cdre
Tajudeen Yusuf, was airlifted this morning from 117 Air Combat Training
Group Kainji. Other troop contributing countries include Senegal, Ghana
and countries within the sub-region.
You are please requested to disseminate the information through
your medium for the awareness of the general public. Thank you for your
usual support and cooperation.
No comments:
Post a Comment