The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strengthening African-led defence partnerships to combat terrorism, violent extremism and other transnational security threats undermining peace and stability across the continent.
A statement signed by Colonel Appolonia Anele Acting Director Army Public Relations said the COAS made this known during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), General Mubarakh Muganga, in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda, as part of his ongoing official working visit aimed at deepening bilateral military cooperation and advancing collective security initiatives.
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The engagement highlighted the imperative of African nations taking greater responsibility for addressing their shared security challenges through sustained military cooperation, intelligence sharing, joint capacity development and coordinated responses to emerging threats.
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Lieutenant General Shaibu emphasised the strategic importance of strengthening military-to-military relations, particularly in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, professional military education and the exchange of operational experiences. These areas of cooperation are critical to enhancing interoperability, operational readiness and the capacity of African armed forces to confront increasingly complex and interconnected security threats.
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The visit further reinforced the importance of African-driven security solutions anchored on mutual trust, shared expertise and collective responsibility. It also highlighted the need for stronger defence collaboration among African nations to deny terrorist and criminal networks opportunities to exploit national borders and regional security vulnerabilities.
The engagement aligns with the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strategic defence cooperation and the broader objective of building a more secure, stable and resilient African continent through sustainable African-led security partnerships.
