From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has renewed call for international collaboration aimed at tackling the menace of terrorism, stating that Nigeria would continue to cooperate in the global fight.
According to him, the evil collaboration between Boko Haram and ISIL must have a response from countries that share similar experiences and could present a credible force against terrorists.
He made the call when he received visiting Bangladeshi Chief of Army Staff, General Abu Belal Muhammad, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Osinbajos said networking among terrorists groups has increased the need for countries to close ranks to counter the threats posed by their activities.
“We are concerned about terrorism not just within our borders, we have also seen the influence of terrorists across borders and how terrorist organizations have cooperated with each other.
“We are aware, for instance, that some within our own borders are cooperating with ISIL and we think that this sorts of evil collaborations must have a response from countries that share similar experiences and can present a credible force against terrorists”, he said.
On the urgency required to tackle the menace, Osinbajo warned that “terrorism was a major problem and, perhaps, the most significant problem that the free world will face in the coming years.”
He said improved cooperation between the Bangladeshi and Nigerian military would go a long way in curbing threats posed by terrorist groups within and around borders of the two countries.
“We have benefitted a lot from some of your experiences in fighting insurgency in Bangladesh and we hope that we benefit even more from those experiences.
“We have had similar problems with Boko Haram and I know that you have also had problems of some sort with terrorist groups within the borders of Bangladesh,” Osinbajo said
He said Nigeria looked to cooperating with the Bangladeshi government across different fronts including defence and the economy.
Earlier in his remark, Muhammad expressed gratitude at the reception accorded his delegation.
He said the long-standing relations between Nigeria and Bangladesh has helped in the career development of many officers of the armed forces of both countries.
He added that there was a need to strengthen relations on the defence and economic fronts to tackle challenges that are peculiar to both countries.
The Bangladeshi Army chief is in Nigeria on a working visit to improve military relations between both countries.