The Nigerian Army has deployed 86 personnel to the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace, security and peacekeeping operations across West Africa.
In a statement released on Saturday, August 1, the Army said the troops, deployed as Nigerian Company 5 (NIGCOY 5 ESSMGB), departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport aboard a Nigerian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft and arrived safely in Guinea-Bissau to begin their assignment under the ECOWAS mandate.
Before their departure from the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Forward Operating Base in Abuja, the Chief of Operations, Mayirenso Saraso, represented by M. M. Idris, urged the troops to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and operational excellence throughout the mission.
He charged the personnel to serve as worthy ambassadors of the Nigerian Army, the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the country by carrying out their responsibilities diligently. The troops were also instructed to respect the laws and customs of Guinea-Bissau while maintaining zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, substance abuse, indiscipline and the irresponsible use of social media.
According to the Army, the deployment underscores Nigeria’s continued leadership in ECOWAS peace support operations and its longstanding contribution to regional and international peacekeeping efforts under Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations.
The statement added that the deployment reflects 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 maintain political stability following years of political crises and repeated military interventions. It succeeded the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau, which was deployed after the 2012 coup.
Nigeria remains one of the largest contributors to ECOWAS peace operations, providing troops, logistics and leadership for missions in countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
The latest deployment comes as ECOWAS continues to address security and political challenges across West Africa, including military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as persistent insurgency and extremist violence in the Sahel region.