Nigeria will speed up the process of finalizing all pending agreements and negotiations with Spain on internal security and related areas, as part of efforts to deepen bilateral relations.
The Minister of Interior, Lt Gen. (rtd) Abdulrahman Dambazau, stated this in Abuja when he received the new Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Marcelino Cabanas Ansorena.
Gen. Dambazau disclosed Nigeria’s readiness to exchange ideas with Spain towards the strengthening of relations between the two countries.
He said that Nigeria would welcome the exchange of ideas that would further deepen relations between Nigeria and Spain, as well as enhance their mutual interests.
The Minister said that the Ministry of Interior, being the hub of public safety and internal security, would offer the necessary assistance to the envoy to succeed in his tour of duty.
Earlier, the Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Marcelino Cabanas Ansorena, called for deeper cooperation between Spain and Nigeria, in addition to accelerated action on the negotiation on bilateral agreements between them.
He noted that Spain had provided technical assistance to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Services (DSS), and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) by training them on forensic management of crime scenes and falsification of documents.
While appreciating the relations between the countries, the Ambassador also disclosed Spain’s readiness to further enlarge bilateral relations with Nigeria.
He conveyed the condolences of the Spanish government to Nigeria on the death of 26 young Nigerian ladies on the Mediterranean, who were buried in Italy.
