West African nations’ group to meet over security concerns in Guinea-Bissau, may send troops

West African nations to meet over Guinea-Bissau

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s president says a group of West African nations will hold an emergency meeting to discuss sending troops to the troubled and impoverished nation of Guinea-Bissau.

President Goodluck Jonathan is currently chairing the Economic Community Of West African States, a group of 15 nations with its own peacekeeping force. Jonathan says Guinea-Bissau’s president requested 600 troops to help deal with instability in the country.

Jonathan says the meeting will be held in mid-September.

Guinea-Bissau has a porous coastline and dozens of offshore islands with airstrips which have been used as a transit point for South American drugs heading into Africa and north to Europe. Diplomats fear the country’s military has been co-opted by drug runners.