France ready to collaborate with Nigeria on intelligence gathering

Maj.-Gen. Christophe Gomert, the Director of Military Intelligence in the French Ministry of Defence, has pledged to collaborate with Nigeria’s Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) on intelligence gathering.

Gomert gave the pledge on Wednesday in Abuja, when he visited the Chief of Defence Intelligence, AVM Monday Morgan, to discuss issues relating to terrorism and Boko Haram activities in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the visit was a fall out of recent coordinated attacks in parts of Paris by ISIS that resulted in the death of 130 people.

Gomert said that the he was in the country to discuss the issue of the Boko Haram and intelligence gathering with a view to defeat the terrorists.

The French intelligence chief said he was visiting the country for the first time to hold the crucial talks with his Nigerian counterpart.

According to him, 13 Nigerian military operatives are already undergoing training on geo-spatial intelligence in Strasbourg, France.

Responding, Morgan said the DIA had requested France to encourage francophone countries to intensify military campaign against Boko Haram.

He noted that diplomatic relations between Nigeria and France had become robust after the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to France in September.

According to him, the president visit has stimulated effective collaboration between Nigeria and France in the onslaught against terrorism.

"The President’s visit to France has brought about the serious synergy that we have today between the French government and Nigeria in terms of intelligence sharing,’’ he said.

Morgan said that the military was making arrangement to set up geo-spatial intelligent unit to combat insurgency.

He added that the military would require expertise of developed countries like the France to set up the department.

He stressed the need for various countries to devise effective ways of tackling the scourge of terrorism across the world.