Ibom Focus
Nigeria, France Strengthen Defence Ties To Boost National And Regional Security
In a bid to enhance Nigeria’s response to evolving security challenges through sustained international cooperation, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Tuesday, 4 February 2026, received the French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Useo, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
During the engagement, Lieutenant General Shaibu commended the French Government for its continued collaboration with the Nigerian Army, particularly in intelligence sharing, professional military training and support for operational readiness. He noted that such partnerships remain vital to Nigeria’s broader counter-insecurity efforts and regional stability.
The COAS reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to continuous professional development across all corps, stressing the importance of sustaining mutually beneficial bilateral defence cooperation. He expressed optimism that a strengthened long-term partnership with France—focused on capacity building, advanced training and enhanced operational effectiveness—would align with contemporary security realities.
Earlier, Colonel Stéphane Useo praised the resilience and professionalism of the Nigerian Army in addressing emerging security threats. He particularly commended the Army’s successful recovery operations in the Republic of Benin and advocated expanded access for Nigerian personnel to strategic professional military courses, especially in Public Relations and Aviation.
Colonel Useo described the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information as one of the leading institutions in Africa for training personnel in civil-military relations and information management.
He reaffirmed France’s commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Nigeria, emphasizing shared responsibility in promoting regional stability, countering emerging threats and building sustainable military capacity.
The high-level meeting focused on strengthening operational cooperation between the Nigerian Army and the French Armed Forces in response to evolving regional and global security challenges.
