By Sumaila Ogbaje
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Richard Montgomery, has called for the combination of military and civilian efforts in tackling the complexity of security challenges in Nigeria and globally.
Montgomery made the call at a two-day Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Collaboration with the British High Commission, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He commended the efforts of the Nigerian military in promoting civil-military collaboration and adoption of kinetic and non-kinetic action in addressing the menace of terrorism and insurgency in the country.
“At the heart of all this is recognition of the importance of upholding the rule of law, human rights, humanitarian law and international humanitarian law.
“We need to consider the different legal principles and frameworks that apply to criminal violence or to violent conflicts and how we deal with them in protracted conflict zones.
“We had a legal frameworks roundtable with the Nigerian military officers earlier this year, and a really good debate about how we adapt to different situations.
“I am hoping today we will help progress that dialogue on which Nigerian legal frameworks are appropriate in which circumstances,’’ he said.
Montgomery highlighted the positive and open relationship between the UK and Nigeria, noting that both countries were learning from each other’s experiences in tackling security challenges.
He expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to continue this productive dialogue and hoped that the symposium would result in actionable insights and further strengthen the partnership. (NAN)
