The Nigerian Army has deployed 86 personnel to the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB), 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 in Abuja 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, Major General Mayirenso Saraso, urged the troops to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and operational excellence throughout the mission.
Represented by the Director of Peace Support Operations, Brigadier General M.M. Idris, Saraso charged the personnel to serve as worthy ambassadors of the Nigerian Army, the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the country by carrying out their mandate responsibly. He also urged them to respect the laws and customs of Guinea-Bissau while maintaining zero tolerance for s3xual exploitation and abuse, substance abuse, indiscipline and the irresponsible use of social media.
The army said the deployment underscores Nigeria’s continued leadership in ECOWAS peace support operations and its longstanding contribution to regional and international peacekeeping missions under ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations.
According to the statement, the latest 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 help maintain political stability following years of political crises and repeated military interventions.
The mission succeeded the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), which was deployed after the 2012 coup, and forms part of ECOWAS efforts to prevent instability in the country from escalating into broader regional security threats.
Nigeria has consistently been 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 confront growing security and political challenges across West Africa, including military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as persistent insurgency and jihadist violence in the Sahel.
Although Guinea-Bissau has largely avoided the scale of violence experienced in parts of the region, ECOWAS maintains a stabilisation mission in the country to support constitutional order and deter potential security threats.
