‘France to assist Nigeria defeat ideologies fuelling terrorism’

The French government has promised it will continue to deepen its diplomatic, economic and military relationships with Nigeria.

This was even as the French Republic has assured of its readiness to explore new ways to confront and defeat the ideologies fuelling terrorism.

A statement by Laolu Akande, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Office of the Vice President, said this was the highlight of the bilateral meeting between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, and French Prime Minister, Mr. Bernard Cazeneuve, in Paris after the Vice President attended and spoke at the just concluded global forum on Anti-Corruption and Integrity, hosted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Osinbajo had during the meeting explained to the French Prime Minister the need to break the ideology fuelling terrorism and suppressing the insurgency significantly.

He said, “One thing left for us to deal with is deradicalization, defeating the ‘ideology’ behind the mindless killing and violence. This is now what we have to deal with.”

Continuing he observed that there is the view that some of the issues involved in the fuelling of terrorism is governance related, and economic, but added that “it goes beyond that to ideological, and we are now focussing on the challenge, and on how to deal with it.”

Read also: OSINBAJO: Corruption caused world’s gravest humanitarian crisis in N/E Nigeria

Osinbajo made the Prime Minister know that Nigerian government would be happy to work with France, and others among its diplomatic partners who may also have to deal with such problems as the challenge of deradicalization.

In his own remarks, Prime Minister Cazeneuve recalled recent terror attacks in France, saying “we know the consequences of terror attacks on populations. We are aware of the problem and we know it cannot be solved by countries working alone.”

He also noted that the French government has a process of deradicalization, involving teams working with families, stressing however that “it’s a very difficult job.”

The French government, he added will be focussing on how to enhance and deepen relationship with Nigeria, including on issues of “counter terrorism and sharing information when it comes to deradicalization.”

 

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