KEY POINTS

• Nigerian Army and France held high-level talks in Abuja on boosting defence cooperation and addressing insecurity.

• COAS Waidi Shaibu praised France’s support in intelligence sharing, training and operational readiness.

• French Defence Attaché pledged deeper collaboration and expanded training opportunities for Nigerian personnel.

The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has met with the French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Useo, in Abuja to discuss Nigeria’s evolving security challenges and ways to strengthen bilateral military cooperation.

The meeting, held at the Army Headquarters, centred on enhancing operational collaboration between the Nigerian Army and the French Armed Forces to respond more effectively to regional and global security threats.

Shaibu commended France for its continued assistance to the Nigerian Army, particularly in the areas of intelligence sharing, professional military training and operational readiness.

He described the partnership as vital to Nigeria’s broader strategy to counter insecurity and maintain stability across the region.

“The Nigerian Army remains committed to continuous professional development across all corps,” Shaibu said in a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele.

Call for Sustained Bilateral Defence Cooperation

The Army chief stressed the need to sustain and deepen mutually beneficial defence relations between both countries.

According to him, a long-term partnership focused on capacity building, advanced training and improved operational effectiveness aligns with modern security realities and the complex nature of today’s threats.

In his remarks, Colonel Useo applauded the resilience and dedication of Nigerian troops in tackling emerging security challenges.

He highlighted the Army’s successful recovery operations in the Republic of Benin and called for expanded access for Nigerian personnel to professional military courses, especially in Public Relations and Aviation.

Useo described the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information as one of the best on the continent, noting its role in training personnel in civil-military relations and information management.

He reaffirmed France’s commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Nigeria, emphasising the shared responsibility of both countries in promoting regional stability, countering emerging threats and building sustainable military capacity.