Nigeria has assured the African Union of Nigeria’s readiness to partner it in achieving the free movement of persons within the ECOWAS countries.

Nigeria has assured the African Union (AU) of Nigeria’s readiness to partner it in achieving the free movement of persons within the ECOWAS countries.

Interior minister Rauf Aregbesola gave the assurance when he played host to an AU delegation that visited him in Abuja, according to a statement by the ministry of interior on Wednesday.

Mr Aregbesola assured the delegation of the Nigerian government’s commitment to the partnership, aimed at realising the ECOWAS protocol of free movement of persons, goods and services across the sub-region.

The minister, however, said insurgencies and other conflicts, which posed a major threat to the protocol, especially in countries within the Sahel region, discouraged Nigeria from rectifying the protocol.

He claimed that the ousting of then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi breached Nigeria’s security following the proliferation of arms that led to full-blown insurgencies.

The minister added that in furtherance to the realisation of free movement across the sub-region, the Nigerian government introduced the visa-on-arrival policy to expedite movement.