COAS Highlights Nigeria’s Role in Liberia’s Stability, Reaffirms Strategic Security Leadership in West Africa
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s strategic leadership in West Africa’s security architecture, declaring that the peace and stability currently enjoyed by Liberia are products of deliberate governmental resolve, African solidarity and the sacrifices of the Nigerian Army.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia as Special Guest of Honour at the 69th Armed Forces Day Anniversary of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the COAS said Nigeria’s intervention during Liberia’s civil conflict was a conscious foreign and defence policy decision undertaken in the collective interest of regional stability.
He noted that Nigeria’s involvement under the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) was neither incidental nor transactional, but a firm commitment to prevent state collapse and restore order. According to him, Nigerian troops formed the backbone of the peace enforcement mission, shouldering the heaviest operational responsibilities and recording significant casualties in the process.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria demonstrated exceptional leadership by committing troops, resources and political will over an extended period,” he said, adding that the intervention laid the foundation for Liberia’s national reconciliation, democratic transition and post-conflict reconstruction.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s role in rebuilding Liberia’s defence structure, Lieutenant General Shaibu recalled his personal involvement in the early phases of reforming the Armed Forces of Liberia. Speaking at a dinner held in his honour, he recounted serving alongside the late Major General Suraj Alawo Abdurrahman, then Chief of Staff of the AFL, and other regional partners in what he described as an “Aircraft-in-Flight” reform process — rebuilding the military while it remained operational.
He expressed satisfaction that officers mentored during that formative period now occupy key leadership positions within the AFL, describing the force as a shining example of sustained international partnership, regional cooperation and adherence to core military values.
The Army Chief urged the AFL to preserve its ethos of sacrifice, professionalism and loyalty to constitutional authority, assuring that Nigeria would continue to provide advisory and capacity-building support to strengthen Liberia’s stability and regional peace.
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He emphasised that the Nigeria–Liberia defence relationship is anchored on shared sacrifice, strategic trust and a bond forged in adversity, stressing that Liberia’s security remains inseparable from the stability of the wider West African sub-region.
Addressing the anniversary theme, “Securing Liberia Together: Strengthening Inter-Agency Cooperation Against Drug Trafficking and Emerging Security Threats,” Lieutenant General Shaibu warned that contemporary threats — including drug trafficking, cybercrime, maritime insecurity and organised criminal networks — have evolved into strategic security challenges capable of undermining state authority and regional stability.
He described the proliferation of synthetic drugs as a critical national security concern with direct implications for youth development, economic resilience and internal stability. The COAS advocated stronger inter-agency synergy, intelligence-led operations, enhanced legal frameworks and deeper regional cooperation as essential pillars of effective security governance.
Drawing from Nigeria’s operational experience, he underscored the effectiveness of the “Whole of Government” and “Whole of Society” approach, where the Armed Forces, Police and other security agencies operate within unified command structures to enhance operational efficiency and strategic outcomes. He encouraged Liberia to sustain and deepen this model in confronting emerging threats.
Lieutenant General Shaibu commended officers and soldiers of the AFL for their professionalism, discipline and loyalty to constitutional authority, describing them as strategic stabilisers and guardians of Liberia’s democracy.
He reaffirmed that Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains a dependable strategic partner to Liberia and the ECOWAS sub-region, committed to sustained defence cooperation, capacity building and collective responses to transnational security threats.
The COAS also congratulated the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia, the AFL High Command and the Liberian people on the occasion of the 69th Armed Forces Day, expressing confidence that the force would continue to consolidate professionalism and operational effectiveness in service of national stability and regional peace.
In recognition of Nigeria’s enduring contributions to Liberia’s peace and security architecture, two senior Nigerian Army officers — Brigadier General Mohammed Sani Usman and Brigadier General Owoicho Egiga — were decorated with Liberia’s prestigious Distinguished Service Order during the ceremony. The honour, conferred for meritorious service and invaluable contributions to the AFL, further symbolised the deep-rooted defence partnership between the two nations.
By PRNigeria
