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Obasanjo Writes Senate On Cote d'Ivoire

This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
October 9, 2002
Posted to the web October 9, 2002

By Bature Umar
Abuja
President Olusegun Obasanjo in a letter to the Senate yesterday said Nigeria
may be forced to send troops to protect its nationals threatened by civil war
in Cote d'Ivoire.
In the letter read by Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, Obasanjo said if the
situation deteriorates, Nigeria might be left with no option other than to send
troops to defend its nationals.
According to Obasanjo, Cote d'Ivoire has a significant presence of Nigerians
running into about two million, who must be protected against any harm as
result of the conflict, which has so far attracted the intervention of some
European countries.
Obasanjo stated that the presence of members of the Nigeria Air Force in that
country was not for combat operations, but as a visiting contingent and should
not be misconstrued to be sent with a purpose by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government, he said, is currently studying the situation in Cote
d'Ivoire as it unfolds and that if the situation appears to go out of control,
troops would be deployed to defend Nigerian nationals with the consent of the
Senate.
"There is no commitment to deploy troops on combat duty in Ivory Coast... but I
will seek Senate approval when the need arises," he said.
Nigeria, he said, is placing so much premium on the peace efforts of the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which is currently battling
to bring the situation under control.

   

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