TheCable

Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, says 230 Nigerian soldiers will be deployed to Liberia for a peacekeeping mission.

The 230 soldiers comprise of 19 officers and 211 rank and files personnel.

Speaking in Kaduna at the end of a a four-week training on peacekeeping for the soldiers to be deployed, Buratai urged the soldiers to respect human rights.

“You must observe human rights and respect the cultural and religious sensitivities of Liberians,” the chief of army staff said.

Buratai noted that since 1960, Nigeria has deployed over 20, 000 troops to 40 peacekeeping missions in Africa and across the world.

Earlier the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji was renamed to Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre.

The centre was established in 2004 by Agwai was named after him in recognition of his commitment to peacekeeping efforts and excellent service.

Also speaking, Agwai who was a former chief of army staff, said peacekeeping was gradually becoming an intra-country issue with the military at the centre stage following internal conflicts such as ethnic, religious other crises.

He said although Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping operations in Africa and world at large, it is yet to reap the economic and diplomatic benefits of it.

While thanking the leadership of the army for honouring him, Agwai called on government and private-owned organisations to partner with the centre on conflict prevention and management in the bid to achieve enduring peace.