Defence collaboration and information sharing among African countries must be accorded priority because security is not only local, but an international issue that transcends regional and sub-regional borders, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said.
Osinbajo stated this in Abuja when he received a delegation from the Network of African Parliamentarians for Defence and Security Committees who are in Nigeria for the group’s 7th extra-ordinary session.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, the vice president said, “Not only do we recognise that security is a local issue, but it is also an international issue. It affects all of us and our borders, in West Africa, for instance, and indeed all of Africa. If we do not secure our people and our territories, that means we (those of us in elective positions) have failed our people.
“It is important, indeed, that this network exists in Africa. I am especially excited that a network such as this exists because those of us in the executive arm see the challenges every day, the different challenges that are posed to us and posed to our countries and our continent.”
Osinbajo also spoke about the stand of leaders in the continent on the choice of democratic governance as against military juntas and urged international organisations to join ECOWAS and the African Union in rejecting coups in Africa.
Earlier, the outgoing president-general of the network, and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Sha’aban Sharadan, said the group was at the presidential villa on a solidarity visit to acquaint President Muhammadu Buhari of activities marking its 7th extra-ordinary session and the investiture of its incoming executives.
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