UN commanders 'smooth over' differences

British and Nigerian soldiers working together after earlier 'friction'

Senior British and Nigerian commanders in Sierra Leone have met to smooth over differences between the two forces amid reports British soldiers had been threatened by their Nigerian counterparts.

Nigerian soldiers reportedly threatened to shoot British soldiers who were patrolling Lungi airport near the capital, Freetown, referring to them as "white mercenaries".

The senior British officer in Sierra Leone, Brigadier David Richards, described the confrontation as a "local dispute" which was now resolved.

He said: "Both commanders have now agreed boundaries at Lungi. I am confident this is a non-problem. We had told the Nigerians what we were doing but it did not get down to soldier level."

He said one of his men had been told by a Nigerian soldier: "If you don't tell us what you are doing you will get shot", and there were concerns the differences threatened to disrupt the UN's peace-keeping operation.

Working together

The commander of the Nigerian forces, Brigadier General Alex Garaba acknowledged any difficulties had been overcome, but he suggested the Nigerians had been less than happy with the liaison which took place when the British troops arrived.

He said: "If someone is coming in new to that place, you should announce it. If you do not start deployment with liaison, you will run into incidents."

On the ground, British soldiers from the Paratroop Regiment appear to be working comfortably alongside the blue-helmeted Nigerian troops.

Corporal Mark Chadwick of D Company, 2nd Battalion, who is manning the vehicle checkpoint on the Aberdeen Bridge out of Freetown said: "Initially they were put out by us turning up, but now I think it is sorted."