Nigeria to send more troops to Darfur

October 5, 2007 (ABUJA) — The Nigerian armed forces say more troops will leave for Sudan on Monday, apparently unperturbed by the loss of seven soldiers to an attack by Darfur rebels on Sunday.

Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Andrew Azazi, made the hint on Friday in Abuja at the burial of the slain soldiers, conducted in full military tradition.

The defense chief said the circumstances leading to the death of the soldiers would spur the armed forces to make national service paramount.

“To demonstrate our resolve, Nigeria will go back to occupy its position at Haskanita, southern Sudan, where the soldiers were killed and in full strength, daring whosoever will come, to attack us again,” Azazi said.

John Odey, Minister of Information and Communications, corroborated the position of the armed forces contributing more troops to international peacekeeping missions.

“These missions are very justified because there is no price or sacrifice for peace that is too much,” he said.

He said Nigeria now was playing a leading role in the restoration of peace in Africa, and would continue to play this role to ensure global peace.

According to the minister, Nigerian troops have played this role in the past in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia, Sierra Leone and South Africa.

(Xinhua)