Phased withdrawal of troops from Sierra Leone

The Nigerian government is to prepare a gradual and phased withdrawal of Nigerian troops from Sierra Leone, news organisations quoted presidential spokesman Doyin Okupe as saying in a signed statement. "This action will be in keeping with the electioneering promises of President Obasanjo to get Nigerian troops back home at the soonest possible time, without jeopardy to the peace process," the statement reportedly said. A communique issued in Lome on behalf of the signatories to Wednesday's agreement stated that the parties had agreed that ECOMOG's mandate should be adapted to "new exigencies of peace and national reconciliation". "The assignment of ECOMOG will be centred around reconstruction, disarmament, mobilisation and integration of the citizenry, training of the Sierra Leonean Armed Forces, and providing security of VIPs in that country," Okupe was quoted as saying on Nigerian Television on Thursday. The Lome agreement states that "a neutral peacekeeping force comprising UNOMSIL and ECOMOG shall disarm all combatants" from rebel, civil defence, former army and paramilitary groups.