Defence Minister Pledges to Immortalise ECOMOG Veterans’ Sacrifices
Oru Leonard
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, has assured Nigerian veterans of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), of the Federal Government’s commitment to preserving the force’s history and honouring the sacrifices of personnel who served in its peacekeeping operations.
Musa gave the assurance on October 23, 2026, when he received a delegation of ECOMOG veterans, led by Major General Ohifeme Ejimai (Rtd), at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
According to the statement made sianed by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the delegation visited the Minister to brief him on the association’s activities and ongoing efforts to preserve ECOMOG’s legacy.
The Defence Minister acknowledged Nigeria’s enormous human and financial contributions to ECOMOG operations, particularly in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where Nigerian troops played critical roles in efforts to restore peace and stability.
He stressed that the sacrifices of personnel who lost their lives during the missions would not be forgotten, assuring the veterans that efforts to document outstanding records, casualties and historical assets would be pursued to ensure the preservation of the force’s legacy for future generations.
Earlier, Ejimai provided an update on the condition and activities of surviving Nigerian ECOMOG veterans, expressing their readiness to continue contributing to national development and security.
He appealed to the Ministry of Defence to address existing gaps in the documentation of ECOMOG’s history and consider designating a special remembrance day in honour of the hundreds of Nigerian troops who died during peacekeeping operations in West Africa.
The proposed remembrance day, he said, would provide an opportunity for the nation to recognise the courage, patriotism and sacrifices of the fallen soldiers who contributed to regional peace and stability.
ECOMOG was established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1990 as a regional peacekeeping and peace enforcement force. With Nigeria providing significant leadership, personnel and resources, the force played a pivotal role in addressing regional conflicts, protecting civilian populations and supporting efforts to restore constitutional order in West Africa.
The Federal Government’s renewed commitment to documenting ECOMOG’s history is expected to strengthen efforts to preserve the contributions of Nigerian military personnel to regional peacekeeping and international security.
