Nigeria Offers To Help Mozambique Fight Terrorism

Nigeria has offered to support Mozambique in its fight against Islamist insurgents in the gas-rich northern province of Cabo Delgado.

More than 2,000 people have been killed and more than 500,000 others displaced in the violence, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, visited Mozambique over the weekend and met Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, the BBC reported on Monday.

Mr Onyeama said Nigeria was ready to share its experience of fighting Islamist militants and provide support to Mozambique.

But observers will question whether it's best placed to offer advice, given the continued insecurity in Nigeria.

Ironically, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2020, Nigeria is one of the ten countries most impacted by terrorism.

Indeed, Nigeria is the third country most impacted by terrorism. Boko Haram, Nigeria’s deadliest terrorist group, has been responsible for the killing of thousands of Nigerians and the displacement of many others. 

At least 36,000 people have been said to have been killed and 2 million displaced since Boko Haram launched its jihadi insurgency in northeast Nigeria in 2009.

In 2016, the group split into two groups — the main faction led by Abubakar Shekau and the other faction affiliated with IS, called Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Additionally, according to the GTI 2020 report, Fulani extremists were responsible for 26 per cent of terror-related deaths in Nigeria at 325 fatalities.

Meanwhile, Mr Onyeama's visit was part of a diplomatic tour to southern Africa countries to mobilise support for Nigeria's bid to chair the peace and security council of the African Union (AU).

Tanzania, South Africa and Burkina Faso are also vying for the seat.

Elections will be held during AU's summit scheduled for later this week.