COAS, Kagame Explore Military Cooperation to Combat Terrorism
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Kigali to explore stronger military cooperation between Nigeria and Rwanda in combating terrorism and other regional security threats.
The meeting, held on Thursday, formed part of Shaibu’s official working visit to Rwanda to strengthen bilateral defence relations and promote African-led responses to evolving security challenges.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Army to Kagame, while appreciating the Rwandan leader for receiving the delegation.
During the engagement, Shaibu commended Rwanda’s transformation since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, highlighting lessons in national reconstruction, institutional resilience and social cohesion.
He expressed sympathy for the victims of the genocide and paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of approximately 600 personnel of the 3rd Battalion during Rwanda’s liberation struggle.
The Army chief noted that leadership, discipline and national resolve remained critical to overcoming complex security challenges confronting African countries.
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The visit also featured separate engagements with Rwanda’s Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force, Major General Vincent Nyakarundi.
The discussions focused on strengthening military relations, expanding professional military exchanges and identifying opportunities for mutually beneficial defence cooperation.
Shaibu also visited the Rwanda Engineering Manufacturing Company (REMCO), where he commended the country’s indigenous engineering and manufacturing capabilities and highlighted their relevance to defence modernisation and national self-reliance.
He expressed interest in technical exchanges, collaborative research, knowledge transfer and defence manufacturing partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s indigenous production capacity, equipment maintenance and technical support capabilities.
According to the statement, the engagements reflect the Nigerian Army’s efforts to develop practical partnerships that enhance military capacity, interoperability and collective responses to regional insecurity.
Shaibu reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to working with the Rwanda Defence Force through specialised training, professional exchanges, joint exercises and defence technology cooperation.
He emphasised that sustained collaboration, mutual trust and shared responsibility among African countries were essential to countering cross-border threats, safeguarding national interests and promoting regional peace and stability.
By PRNigeria
