The Nigerian Army has deployed 86 personnel to the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB), reaffirming the country’s commitment to promoting peace, security and stability across West Africa.
In a statement issued on Saturday, August 1, the Army said the troops, deployed as Nigerian Company 5 (NIGCOY 5 ESSMGB), departed Abuja aboard a Nigerian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft and arrived safely in Guinea-Bissau to commence their assignment under the ECOWAS mandate.
Before their departure from the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Forward Operating Base in Abuja, the Chief of Operations, Major General Mayirenso Saraso, urged the contingent to uphold professionalism, discipline and operational excellence throughout the mission.
Represented by the Director of Peace Support Operations, Brigadier General M.M. Idris, Saraso reminded the troops that they would be representing not only the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces of Nigeria but also the country. He encouraged them to respect the laws and traditions of Guinea-Bissau while maintaining zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, substance abuse, indiscipline and the misuse of social media.
The Army said the deployment reflects Nigeria’s longstanding leadership in ECOWAS peace support operations and its continued contribution to regional and international peacekeeping efforts under ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations.
According to the statement, the latest mission further demonstrates Nigeria’s strategic role in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict stabilisation across Africa through the professionalism and resilience of its peacekeepers.
The ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau was established to support security sector reforms and preserve political stability after years of political crises and repeated military interventions. It replaced the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), which was deployed following the 2012 coup, and is part of efforts to prevent instability in the country from spreading across the region.
Nigeria remains one of the largest contributors to ECOWAS peacekeeping operations, providing troops, logistics and leadership for missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
The latest deployment comes as ECOWAS continues to address growing security and political challenges in West Africa, including military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as persistent insurgency and jihadist violence across the Sahel.
Although Guinea-Bissau has largely been spared the level of violence witnessed in other parts of the region, ECOWAS continues to maintain a stabilisation mission in the country to safeguard constitutional order and deter potential security threats.
