Nigeria, Sierra Leone Deepen Defence Ties to Tackle Regional Security Threats
The Nigerian Army has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional security cooperation and defence partnerships with Sierra Leone, with emphasis on intelligence sharing, joint training and coordinated responses to emerging threats across West Africa.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, stated this on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, when he received the Chief of Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Amara Idara Bangura, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Shaibu stressed that Nigeria’s longstanding contributions to regional peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations placed a significant responsibility on the country to sustain efforts towards peace, stability and collective security across West Africa.
He recalled the Nigerian military’s role in restoring stability in Liberia and Sierra Leone under the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), noting that the sacrifices of Nigerian troops had been instrumental in addressing conflicts in the sub-region.
According to him, Nigeria remains committed to supporting regional security through counterterrorism operations, military capacity building and stronger cooperation among West African armed forces.
The Army Chief called for deeper defence partnerships among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), particularly English-speaking countries, to strengthen intelligence exchange, joint training and operational coordination against transnational security threats.
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He also expressed concern over the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from ECOWAS and the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), emphasising the need for sustained diplomatic engagement and strategic cooperation to preserve regional cohesion and counter terrorism and violent extremism.
Shaibu congratulated Bangura on the successful completion of his tenure as Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff, commending his contributions to regional military cooperation.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s determination to consolidate bilateral defence relations and support collective security initiatives, while acknowledging the sacrifices of serving personnel and veterans whose contributions have helped sustain peace and stability in the region.
Earlier, Bangura acknowledged Nigeria’s decisive intervention in restoring peace to Sierra Leone during its civil war, expressing appreciation for the sacrifices made by Nigerian troops.
He described the relationship between Nigeria and Sierra Leone as a strategic partnership built on shared history, mutual trust and a common commitment to regional peace, recalling his military training in Nigeria as part of the longstanding ties between both countries.
The Sierra Leonean defence chief also reaffirmed his country’s solidarity with Nigeria in addressing contemporary security challenges and pledged to sustain military cooperation among Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
He further highlighted initiatives to honour veterans of regional peace support operations, recognising their contributions to peace and stability across West Africa.
The meeting underscores the importance of sustained bilateral and multilateral military cooperation as West African countries confront terrorism, violent extremism and other transnational security threats.
By PRNigeria
