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FG pledges support for Gambian armed forces
The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi(Rtd) has assured his Republic of Gambian counterpart, Ambassador Omar Faye, of the signing and ratification of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening decades of existinng bilateral military synergy between the two nations.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Mallam Mohammed AbdulKadri on Wednesday.
Magashi who noted that the military formations of the two countries share a robust long history of bilateral defence relation.
He disclosed that article two of the MoU will include training of senior and junior officers of the Gambian Armed Forces in Nigeria stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari is passionate about deepening bilateral relation with Gambia as a friendly sister nation.
The Gambian High Commissioner to Nigeria Amodou Jaal and the Defence Attache to Nigeria Commodore Assan Sarr were parts of the 6-man Contigent on the visit.
In his remarks, the Gambian Minister of Defence, Ambassador Omar Faye, said the courtesy call of the 6-man delegation as approved by the Gambian President Adama Baro which include the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mamadou Tangara was a follow-up to the earlier agreement reached during the 44th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in Niamey.
It would be recalled that Amb. Faye was part of the Contigents to ECOMOG in Liberia where the Nigerian Minister of Defence, Gen. Magashi also served as Brigade Commander 15 ECOMOG.
He confirmed what he called the ‘Big Brother’ role of Nigeria in establishing the nucleus of the Gambian Armed Forces under the Late Nigerian Gen. Abubakar Gada, who he said the Gambian government plans to immorterlise by posthumously naming a national monument after him.
Faye added that Nigeria’s strategic supports remain the lifelines for the sustenance of Gambian Democracy, Military and Judicial system.
Also speaking, the Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mamadou Tangara conveyed the appreciation of the President of the Republic of Gambia, Adama Baro, to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assistance to his Country and felicitated with Nigeria 60th independent Anniversary.
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On the team of the Nigeria’s Defence Minister were; the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence Hussain Babangida, the Director Joint Services Department Olu Mustapha, the Defence Liason Officer Ministry of Foreign Affairs Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar and the Director West Africa Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Danjuma made up the Nigeria’s team.
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