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The Nigerian government has asked the international community to assume financial responsibility for the involvement of its troops in Sierra Leone but wants to retain command over its peacekeepers, ‘The Guardian’ reported on Wednesday.
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar listed these as the two major conditions for Nigeria’s return to Sierra Leone.
He called on the international community to support Nigeria in its position as the main keeper and enforcer of peace in West Africa and said his government would actively participate in efforts to end the crisis there, ‘The Guardian’ said.
Nigerian soldiers, who made up the bulk of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG), ended their assignment in Sierra Leone last month handing over their responsibliities to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone. Less than a week later, RUF rebels began detaining UN forces in the north and east of the country.
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