CHAPTER ONE  INTRODUCTION

1.1BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The interest in peacekeeping has been the subject of several studies and continues to dominate the minds of many on the international scene. Basically, peacekeeping relates to the preservation of peace, especially the supervision by international forces. It has been a subject of vast academic and professional inquiry, primarily because of its importance as a strategy for maintaining and preserving peace, stability, and order in conflict-ridden parts of the world (American English Dictionary, 2000). Enormous resources and efforts are invested continuously in peacekeeping by international organizations, such as the United Nations (UN), by world powers such as the United States, and by regional powers such as Nigeria in the case of West Africa.

 Nigeria continues to play vital roles in support of countries challenged by political instability. This Big brother role gives credit to the statement that Nigeria is a significant Actor in peacekeeping particularly within West Africa. Nigeria‘s peace keeping mission began in1960 when she joined the United Nations. Between 1960 and 2014, Nigeria has been efficiently involved in various ways in the fight against the crumble of the African continent. This made her to promote the establishment of the non-alignment movement, the organization of African unity which is now African union (2001), the Economic community of west Africa states (ECOWAS).Nigeria also helped in the creation of, Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), she (Nigeria) provided resources, troops and financial backing that made the creation of ECOMOG possible (Net Resources International accessed 2014).

Nigeria has also led the diplomatic and military engagements to restore and maintain peace in Congo, Somalia, Liberia, Sudan, Sierra Leone and a host of other countries. In particular

Nigeria‘s reputation as a regional stabilizer, conciliator and peace building efforts in the West Africa sub-region remains unmatched. Nigeria has played a prominent role in the peace building and integrative efforts within the West African region. At the regional level she has contributed to various peace building and peacemaking efforts on the African continent. To date Nigeria has contributed armed military contingents, unarmed military observers, military staff officers, formed police units and police advisors as well as civilian experts to more than 30 A.U, ECOWAS and UN missions (Omotorere, 2011).

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