President Bola Tinubu has secured France’s collaboration on military equipment and training following a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.
Tinubu disclosed this during a meeting with state governors at his residence in Lagos after returning from a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
According to the President, France has expressed willingness to support Nigeria with equipment and training for security forces combating terrorism.
He noted that the government is prepared to leverage its goodwill and existing credit lines to acquire the necessary tools to tackle security threats across the country.
Tinubu described insecurity as the next major challenge confronting his administration and called for collective efforts from leaders at all levels to defeat terrorism and restore stability nationwide.
Meanwhile, several European leaders have also pledged support for Nigeria’s peace initiatives, particularly in the North and Middle Belt.
Former Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Switzerland’s Marc Jost and Austria’s Gudrun Kugler-Lang made the pledge during the First Step Forum meeting held in Abuja alongside Muslim and Christian religious leaders.
The gathering, which produced the Abuja Declaration for Sustainable Peace and Religious Harmony, called for an end to impunity, stronger protection for civilians and increased international support for stability efforts.
Religious leaders also urged dialogue, mediation and early warning mechanisms to reduce violence and promote lasting peace.