Odita Sunday 
Nigerian Army, Rwanda Strengthen Ties Against Terrorism, Cross-Border Threats
By Odita Sunday
The Nigerian Army and the Rwanda Defence Force have moved to strengthen bilateral military cooperation to tackle terrorism, violent extremism and other transnational security threats confronting African countries.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to African-led defence partnerships during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force, General Mubarakh Muganga, in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda.
The visit forms part of Shaibu’s ongoing official working trip aimed at deepening military relations between both countries and advancing collective security initiatives across the continent.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the engagement underscored the need for African nations to take greater responsibility for addressing shared security challenges through sustained military cooperation, intelligence sharing, joint capacity development and coordinated responses to emerging threats.
Shaibu emphasised the strategic importance of strengthening military-to-military relations, particularly in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, professional military education and the exchange of operational experiences.
The Nigerian Army said these areas of cooperation were critical to improving interoperability, operational readiness and the capacity of African armed forces to respond effectively to increasingly complex security threats.
The engagement also highlighted the importance of developing African-driven security solutions anchored on mutual trust, shared expertise and collective responsibility.
Both countries’ defence cooperation efforts are expected to support stronger collaboration among African armed forces and help deny terrorist and criminal networks opportunities to exploit national borders and regional security vulnerabilities.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to strategic defence cooperation as part of broader efforts to build a more secure, stable and resilient African continent through sustainable, African-led security partnerships.
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