By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, and the Army Chief of Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Major General Vincent Nyakarundi, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral military cooperation, enhancing operational capabilities and promoting African-led solutions to the continent’s evolving security challenges.
The commitment was made during a dinner hosted by the RDF in honour of the Nigerian delegation, marking the conclusion of the COAS’s five-day working visit to Rwanda.
Lieutenant General Shaibu stressed that the growing complexity of terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and illicit arms proliferation demands stronger military partnerships, intelligence collaboration and coordinated African responses.
The COAS noted that Nigeria’s extensive experience in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and joint operations, alongside Rwanda’s expertise in peace support operations, military professionalism and post-conflict reconstruction, provides a strong foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation.
He identified specialised military training, professional exchanges, joint exercises, intelligence sharing, cybersecurity, army aviation, defence innovation and indigenous military technology as priority areas for collaboration.
Lieutenant General Shaibu further emphasised the importance of leveraging emerging technologies, particularly unmanned systems, advanced surveillance capabilities and artificial intelligence, to strengthen operational effectiveness and reduce Africa’s dependence on external defence solutions.
He maintained that sustained military cooperation and indigenous capacity development remain critical to achieving lasting peace, regional stability and strategic self-reliance.
In his remarks, Major General Nyakarundi commended the visit, describing it as a significant step towards strengthening longstanding military relations between both countries. He expressed confidence that the engagements would translate into practical cooperation, enhanced interoperability and sustained institutional partnerships.
Both military leaders reaffirmed their resolve to translate the outcomes of the visit into concrete initiatives that would strengthen the operational readiness of their respective Armies and advance collective security across Africa.
The engagement underscores the growing importance of military diplomacy, strategic partnerships and African ownership of solutions to the continent’s security challenges.
