By Harriet Tornguvan
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has commended the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its humanitarian interventions in Nigeria, particularly in the insurgency-ravaged North-East region.
Musa gave the commendation while receiving a delegation of the ICRC led by its Head of Delegation, Doris El Doueihy, at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja.
The Defence Minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the promotion of human rights and adherence to international best practices and protocols in civil-military relations.
He expressed concern over the persistent insurgency in the North-East and North-West regions of the country, calling on all stakeholders to support ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and insecurity.
According to him, security remains a collective responsibility that requires unity and cooperation among government institutions, security agencies, humanitarian organisations and citizens.
Earlier, El Doueihy expressed appreciation for the continued collaboration between the ICRC and the Nigerian military, describing the relationship as vital to the delivery of humanitarian assistance in conflict-affected communities.
She also commended the Federal Government for the recent launch of a new training programme for military police in Zaria.
The ICRC official reaffirmed the organisation’s strong working relationship with the Nigerian Army and disclosed that the humanitarian body had expanded its operations across the North-East and North-West, with increased presence in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
She stressed the importance of ensuring that detainees are allowed access to family communication, noting that prolonged detention without contact with relatives should be discouraged.
El Doueihy appealed to the Defence Minister to facilitate access for Red Cross officials to detainees in order to help reconnect them with their families.
She further acknowledged progress made in detainee hearing processes and urged closer coordination with the Ministry of Justice to accelerate hearings and reduce congestion in detention facilities across the country.
