Musa, Tunji-Ojo Reassure Nigerians In Angola As FG Promises Stronger Security, Economic Recovery – Arise News

The Federal Government has assured that efforts to tackle insecurity and revive the economy are yielding results, with the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.), pledging stronger measures to secure the country’s borders and defeat emerging threats.

Musa gave the assurance during an engagement with members of the Nigerian community in Luanda, Angola, on the sidelines of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

The meeting was coordinated by the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while Nigeria’s delegation to the AU summit was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Musa acknowledged the security challenges facing Nigeria, linking some of them to instability in the Sahel and the spillover of threats across national borders.

He said the Federal Government was taking comprehensive steps to strengthen border security and prevent incursions, while increasing the manpower, equipment and operational capacity of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

The Defence Minister assured Nigerians in Angola that the Tinubu administration remained determined to defeat terrorism and other security threats confronting the country.

Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, declared that Nigeria’s economy was recovering, assuring Nigerians in the Diaspora that the country was on a growth trajectory.

He said: “Nigeria is growing, the economy is growing and Nigeria is on the path of full recovery.”

The Minister also responded to a major request from the Nigerian community for improved consular services, particularly the establishment of a Nigerian passport production centre in Angola.

He promised to look into the request, which the community said would ease the difficulties associated with obtaining and renewing Nigerian passports in the country.

Dabiri-Erewa, who coordinated the engagement, commended Nigerians in Angola for their contributions to Nigeria’s development and for projecting a positive image of the country abroad.

She assured them that the Federal Government valued the contributions, concerns and welfare of Nigerians in the Diaspora, stressing that their voices remained important in shaping policies affecting them.

She urged members of the community to remain united, law-abiding and committed to contributing to the development of both Nigeria and Angola.

Speaking for the Nigerian community, the Secretary of the Nigeria Community Association in Angola, Nnaemeka Francis Obi, commended the government delegation for the engagement but listed several challenges facing Nigerians in the country.

Apart from the establishment of a Nigerian passport office, Obi called for improved healthcare support for Nigerians in Angola and the introduction of direct flights between Nigeria and Angola operated by a Nigerian airline.

The engagement provided an avenue for the Federal Government delegation to receive first-hand feedback from Nigerians in Angola and reaffirm its commitment to strengthening Diaspora engagement.

NiDCOM said the Federal Government, through relevant agencies, would continue to engage Nigerians across the world and work towards finding responsive solutions to issues affecting their welfare and interests.

Michael Olugbode 

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