By Elizabeth Tanko
Abuja, Nigeria – The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for deeper regional security cooperation and stronger defence partnerships among ECOWAS member States to effectively confront emerging security challenges in West Africa.
Gen. Shaibu made the call on Tuesday, when the Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force, Brigadier General Sheik Massaquoi, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters, Abuja.
He said in a statement by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, that the increasingly complex, interconnected and transnational nature of contemporary threats demands greater collaboration among countries in the region.
According to him, terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and other cross-border threats cannot be effectively addressed by individual nations acting in isolation, stressing that West African countries are stronger when they work collectively.
The Army Chief underscored the need for military leaders across the region to leverage collective professional expertise, operational experience and shared understanding of the security environment to develop practical strategies for addressing emerging threats.
He added that such collaboration would enable military authorities to provide informed and actionable professional advice to political leaders in support of regional peace and stability.
Shaibu emphasised the importance of sustained military-to-military cooperation through regular dialogue, intelligence sharing, joint training and exercises, as well as continuous review and harmonisation of doctrines.
He noted that measures are essential to improving interoperability, operational readiness and capacity of regional forces to plan, coordinate and respond collectively.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to Nigeria’s regional security obligations and assured the delegation of continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening ECOWAS security architecture.
According to him, an effective and responsive regional security framework remains critical to safeguarding peace, protecting populations and creating stability required for sustainable development across West Africa.
Earlier, Brigadier General Massaquoi thanked the Nigerian Army for a warm reception and acknowledged Nigeria’s longstanding contributions to peacekeeping, regional security and defence cooperation in West Africa.
He stressed the need to strengthen the ECOWAS Standby Force into a more proactive, interoperable and responsive regional capability to address evolving threats.
Massaquoi identified updated military doctrines, enhanced joint training and exercises, and stronger defence partnerships among member states as critical to achieving the objective.
He solicited Nigeria’s continued support towards enhancing the operational effectiveness of the ECOWAS Standby Force and strengthening its capacity to discharge its mandate in support of collective security, peace and stability across the sub-region.
