By Elizabeth Tanko
Kigali, Rwanda – 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 threats.
Gen Shaibu gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), General Mubarakh Muganga, in Kigali, as part of his official working visit to deepen bilateral military cooperation.
Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele in a statement on Monday, said that the engagement underscored the imperative for African nations to take greater responsibility for shared security challenges through sustained military cooperation, intelligence sharing, joint capacity development and coordinated responses.
The Nigerian Army Chief emphasised the strategic importance of military-to-military relations, particularly in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, professional military education and exchange of operational experiences— critical to enhancing interoperability and readiness of African armed forces.
He noted that African-driven security solutions anchored on mutual trust, shared expertise and collective responsibility were vital to denying terrorist and criminal networks the opportunity to exploit borders and regional vulnerabilities.
The visit aligns with the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strategic defence cooperation and building a more secure, stable and resilient continent.
