By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, on Tuesday hosted the Deputy Director General Operations of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mrs Ogechi Daniels, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, with both sides renewing their commitment to strengthening cooperation in peace building, migration management and countering violent extremism across Nigeria.
Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed the visit in an official statement, said the meeting provided an opportunity for deeper discussions on how to build on existing partnerships in the fight against insecurity and displacement in various parts of the country.
Mrs Daniels commended the Federal Government for its leadership in implementing Operation Safe Corridor, describing it as a model for rehabilitation and reintegration that has progressively moved beyond the North East to the North West and North Central regions. According to the IOM Deputy Director General, the organisation is fully prepared to deploy its experts in Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reintegration and Reconciliation (DDRR) to other conflict-affected areas, including Zamfara State.
She also emphasised the importance of improving data for disaster risk reduction and adopting a more coordinated approach with national stakeholders. Mrs Daniels pointed out that IOM is currently providing technical support in border management and early warning systems, while maintaining a field presence across all member states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission. She revealed that the organisation recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Development Office to kick-start Phase 4 of its rehabilitation and community-based reintegration programme in Nigeria.
While appreciating the Federal Government for creating an enabling environment for IOM to operate in the country, Mrs Daniels reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting safe returns and local integration of internally displaced persons through development-linked interventions. She added that joint research collaborations between IOM and Nigerian institutions will be critical to sustaining peace and reintegration efforts nationwide.
Welcoming the IOM Deputy Director General to his office, General Musa expressed gratitude for the organisation’s long-standing partnership with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, particularly in the North East. He reaffirmed the military’s readiness to collaborate with IOM and other stakeholders to promote peace and stability despite the prevailing challenges. “We support everybody that makes our work easier,” the CDS remarked.
Yesterday’s high-level visit underlines the shared commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and IOM to deepen cooperation in addressing insecurity, displacement and migration challenges while promoting sustainable peace and inclusive development across the country.
