By Chimezie Godfrey
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has met with the French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Useo, to strengthen defence cooperation between both countries.
In a statement, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the meeting held at the Army Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday as part of efforts to address insecurity through sustained international collaboration.
She said the Army Chief commended France for its continued support in intelligence sharing, professional military training and operational readiness.
According to her, Shaibu noted that such partnerships were critical to Nigeria’s broader efforts to counter security threats in the region.
She said the COAS reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to continuous professional development and sustained bilateral defence cooperation.
Anele added that he expressed optimism about a long-term partnership focused on capacity building, advanced training and enhanced operational effectiveness.
Earlier, Colonel Useo commended the resilience and dedication of the Nigerian Army in tackling emerging security challenges.
He praised the Army’s recovery operations in the Republic of Benin and called for expanded access to strategic military courses, particularly in Public Relations and Aviation.
Anele said the French envoy described the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information as one of the best in Africa for civil-military relations and information management training.
She added that Useo reiterated France’s commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Nigeria in promoting regional stability and countering emerging threats.
The high-level engagement, she said, focused on strengthening operational cooperation between the Nigerian Army and French Armed Forces in response to evolving security challenges.