The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, called for stronger defence partnerships among ECOWAS member states, particularly English-speaking countries, through enhanced intelligence sharing, joint training and operational coordination to address transnational threats.
Gen Shaibu made the call when he received the Chief of Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Amara Idara Bangura, in his office at Army Headquarters, Abuja.
The COAS, while lamenting the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from ECOWAS and the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), stressed the need for sustained diplomatic engagement and strategic cooperation to preserve regional cohesion and counter terrorism and violent extremism.
He reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to strengthen defence cooperation, promote military integration and sustain collective efforts against emerging security threats across West Africa.
While noting Nigeria’s historic contributions to peace enforcement and peace support operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone under the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), Gen Shaibu said that the sacrifices of Nigerian troops were instrumental in restoring stability during periods of conflict.
Shaibu pointed out that Nigeria’s military experience and strategic position place a significant responsibility on the country to continue supporting regional security through counterterrorism operations, military capacity building and multinational cooperation.
The COAS, who congratulated Lieutenant General Bangura on the successful completion of his tenure as Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff, commended him for his contributions to regional military cooperation.
He reiterated the Nigerian Army’s determination to consolidate bilateral defence relations and support collective security initiatives while recognising the sacrifices of military personnel and veterans whose contributions remain central to West Africa’s peace and stability.
Earlier, in his address, Lieutenant General Bangura acknowledged Nigeria’s decisive intervention in restoring peace to Sierra Leone during its civil war and expressed profound appreciation for the sacrifices of Nigerian troops. Recalling his military training in Nigeria, he described the relationship between both countries as a strategic partnership founded on shared history, mutual trust and a common commitment to regional peace. He reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s solidarity with Nigeria in addressing contemporary security challenges and pledged to sustain military cooperation among Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia, including initiatives to honour veterans of regional peace support operations.