Nigeria, France deepen defence ties to strengthen national, regional security

By Kingsley Omonobi

ABUJA — In a strategic move to bolster Nigeria’s security through international cooperation, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Wednesday met with the French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Useo, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.

During the meeting, Lieutenant General Shaibu reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to continuous professional development across all corps and emphasized the importance of sustaining mutually beneficial bilateral defence cooperation. He expressed optimism that a long-term partnership with France would enhance capacity building, advanced training, and operational effectiveness in line with contemporary security challenges.

Shaibu commended France for its ongoing collaboration with the Nigerian Army, particularly in intelligence sharing, professional military training, and operational support, noting that such partnerships are vital for Nigeria’s efforts to counter security threats within the region.

Colonel Stéphane Useo praised the Nigerian Army’s resilience and dedication in handling emerging security challenges, highlighting successful recovery operations in the Republic of Benin. He advocated for expanded access to strategic professional military courses, particularly in Public Relations and Aviation, and commended the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information as one of Africa’s leading institutions for training personnel in civil-military relations and information management.

Colonel Useo reiterated France’s commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Nigeria, emphasizing shared responsibility in promoting regional stability, countering emerging threats, and building sustainable military capacity. He described the partnership as mutually reinforcing, enhancing the defence capabilities and professional standards of both nations.

The high-level engagement centered on strengthening operational cooperation between the Nigerian Army and the French Armed Forces in response to evolving regional and global security challenges.

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