Nigerians in B/Faso pledge peaceful coexistence against transnational crime
Nigerians in B/Faso pledge peaceful coexistence against transnational crime
Representatives of the Nigerian community across Burkina Faso’s 17 regions have pledged peaceful coexistence and closer cooperation with local authorities against transnational crimes.
They made the commitment during the maiden formal meeting between Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Syndoph Endoni, and representatives of the Nigerian community in Ouagadougou.
The meeting, held at the Nigerian Embassy, provided a platform for direct engagement between the mission and Nigerians resident across the West African country.
Community leaders pledged to work with relevant Burkinabè institutions to protect Nigerians’ interests while discouraging activities capable of undermining public order.
They specifically identified human trafficking, arms and drug trafficking, Ponzi-related activities and document falsification among transnational crimes requiring sustained attention.
The community leaders stressed the importance of cooperation with host-country institutions in addressing criminal conduct that could affect the wider Nigerian population.
Endoni, in his remarks, urged Nigerians to remain law-abiding and respect Burkinabè authorities, institutions and citizens.
He also called on community leaders to promote peaceful relations between Nigerians and their host communities across the country.
The ambassador warned that the Embassy would not support activities capable of disturbing public order or damaging Nigeria’s image.
He stressed that individual misconduct would not be allowed to undermine the reputation of millions of law-abiding Nigerians at home and abroad.
According to him, Nigerians living in Burkina Faso must recognise that their conduct contributes directly to how Nigeria is perceived by the host country.
The envoy, therefore, urged community leaders to take greater responsibility for sensitising their members on lawful conduct and responsible citizenship.
He also emphasised stronger communication between the Embassy and community associations as an important tool for addressing challenges before they escalate.
According to him, the engagement reflects a broader effort by the Nigerian mission to combine citizen welfare with responsible conduct and stronger relations with Burkinabè authorities.
He added that it also aimed to ensure that Nigerians were better integrated into their host communities without compromising respect for local laws and institutions.
The Embassy said closer cooperation would enhance the protection of Nigerians while helping to prevent criminal activities from affecting bilateral relations.
The meeting also offered community representatives an opportunity to strengthen channels through which concerns affecting Nigerians could be communicated directly to the mission.
Such engagement is expected to support quicker intervention on consular, security, welfare and community-relations matters.
Endoni reaffirmed his commitment to the principle of “One Family, One Community and One United Nigeria.”
He said the concept would guide the Embassy’s engagement with Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic, religious, professional or regional backgrounds.
The ambassador’s approach places unity among Nigerians abroad at the centre of effective citizen diplomacy and national image management.
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By encouraging lawful conduct, the mission is also seeking to ensure that Nigerians become positive representatives of the country in their everyday interactions.
The says it Embassy believes peaceful coexistence can help deepen trust between Nigerian residents and Burkinabè communities while strengthening people-to-people relations.
The meeting comes as Endoni intensifies engagements following his assumption of duty as Nigeria’s principal diplomatic representative in Burkina Faso.
His early consultations have focused on strengthening official bilateral relations while building closer ties with Nigerians resident in the country.
For the Nigerian community, the latest engagement provides a framework for sustained cooperation with the Embassy on security, integration and citizen welfare.
It also places greater responsibility on community leaders to discourage unlawful conduct and support efforts to protect Nigeria’s reputation.
The Embassy said cooperation between citizens, community leaders and Burkinabè authorities would remain essential to addressing cross-border crimes and safeguarding legitimate Nigerian interests.
The initiative is also expected to support wider Nigeria-Burkina Faso relations by strengthening confidence at both official and community levels.
Endoni maintains that Nigerians in Burkina Faso must see themselves not only as residents, but also as informal ambassadors whose behaviour can either strengthen or weaken national goodwill.
He said the maiden Embassy-community meeting marked the beginning of a more structured relationship built around peace, lawful conduct, citizen protection and responsible representation of Nigeria abroad.
