The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for deeper regional security cooperation and stronger defence partnerships among Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states to confront contemporary and emerging security threats across West Africa.
Desk: Defence & Security
Date: 30 September 2026
Time: 18:52 WAT
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Lieutenant General Shaibu made the call on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, when the Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force, Brigadier General Sheik Massaquoi, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters, Abuja.
In a statement issued by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS said the increasingly complex, interconnected and transnational nature of contemporary security threats requires greater collaboration among countries across the region.
He noted that terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and other cross-border threats cannot be effectively addressed by individual countries acting in isolation.
Lieutenant General Shaibu stressed the importance of military leaders leveraging their collective professional expertise, operational experience and shared understanding of the regional security environment to develop practical responses to emerging threats.
He added that stronger professional cooperation would also enable military authorities to provide informed and actionable advice to political leaders in support of regional peace and stability.
The COAS further emphasised the need for sustained military-to-military cooperation through regular dialogue, intelligence sharing, joint training and exercises, and continuous review and harmonisation of military doctrines.
He said these measures would strengthen interoperability, operational readiness and the ability of regional forces to plan, coordinate and respond collectively to security challenges.
Lieutenant General Shaibu reaffirmed the Nigerian Army's commitment to Nigeria's regional security obligations and assured the delegation of continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening the ECOWAS security architecture.
He said an effective and responsive regional security framework remains important to safeguarding peace, protecting populations and creating the stability required for sustainable development across West Africa.
Speaking earlier, Brigadier General Massaquoi appreciated the Nigerian Army for the reception accorded his delegation and acknowledged Nigeria's longstanding contributions to peacekeeping, regional security and defence cooperation across West Africa.
The Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force, stressed the need to strengthen the Force into a more proactive, interoperable and responsive regional security capability capable of addressing evolving threats.
He identified updated military doctrines, enhanced joint training and exercises, and stronger defence partnerships among member states as important measures towards achieving the objective.
Brigadier General Massaquoi also sought Nigeria's continued support for efforts to improve the operational effectiveness of the ECOWAS Standby Force and strengthen its capacity to fulfil its mandate in support of collective security, peace and stability across the COAS Shaibu calls for stronger ECOWAS security cooperation, intelligence sharing and joint training to tackle regional threats.
🏷️ Tags: Waidi Shaibu, ECOWAS Standby Force, Regional Security, Nigerian Army, Defence Cooperation, West Africa
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