COAS Seeks Stronger ECOWAS Military Cooperation Against Cross-Border Threats
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has called for stronger regional security cooperation and defence partnerships among Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states to address contemporary and emerging security threats across the subregion.
Shaibu made the call on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, when the Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force, Brig. Gen. Sheik Massaquoi, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters in Abuja.
The COAS said the increasingly complex, interconnected and transnational nature of security threats required greater collaboration among countries within the region.
He identified terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and other cross-border threats as challenges that could not be effectively tackled by individual countries acting in isolation.
Read Also:
According to him, West African countries would be better positioned to address the region’s security challenges through collective action, stronger partnerships and coordinated military responses.
Shaibu also stressed the need for military leaders across the region to leverage their collective professional expertise, operational experience and shared understanding of the security environment to develop practical strategies for confronting emerging threats.
He added that enhanced military cooperation would strengthen the capacity of defence authorities to provide informed and actionable professional advice to political leaders, thereby contributing to regional peace, security and stability.
The visit by the ECOWAS Standby Force delegation highlights the importance of sustained military-to-military engagement and regional coordination in addressing security threats that increasingly transcend national borders.
By PRNigeria
