By Noe
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commended the Government of the Swiss Confederation for its sustained support and strategic partnership with the Nigerian Army, particularly in the areas of humanitarian assistance, peace-building and conflict prevention, describing the relationship as both impactful and enduring.
Lieutenant General Shaibu gave the commendation on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, when the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Patrick Felix Egloff, paid him a courtesy visit at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. The visit, according to an official statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, provided an opportunity for both sides to review existing cooperation and explore avenues for deeper engagement.
Speaking during the meeting, Ambassador Egloff, who was accompanied by Mr Florent Geel, highlighted the longstanding diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Nigeria, reaffirming his country’s commitment to the promotion of peace, regional stability and institutional cooperation. He noted that Switzerland, globally recognised for its neutrality, diplomacy and peace mediation efforts, remains keen on strengthening collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
The Ambassador explained that while Switzerland is not a kinetic military power, it has carved a niche for itself through non-kinetic security interventions. In this context, he assured the Chief of Army Staff of Switzerland’s continued collaboration with Nigerian security agencies through humanitarian assistance, dialogue facilitation, capacity building and conflict-prevention initiatives, which he described as essential tools for addressing complex security challenges.
In his response, Lieutenant General Shaibu expressed appreciation to the Ambassador for the visit and described Switzerland as a global pacesetter in peace promotion and humanitarian diplomacy. He recalled the critical role played by the Swiss Government in facilitating negotiations that led to the release of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2016, noting that such international cooperation has remained vital to confidence-building efforts and recent security successes, including the rescue of over 300 kidnapped victims across the country.
The Army Chief further praised the Swiss Government for its tangible support to the Nigerian Army, particularly the provision of mobile medical clinics. He said the clinics have significantly enhanced frontline medical care by ensuring that wounded personnel receive prompt and lifesaving treatment before evacuation to military reference hospitals.
Lieutenant General Shaibu assured the Swiss envoy of the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to professionalism, adherence to international best practices and respect for fundamental human rights in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities. He emphasised that international partnerships such as that with Switzerland remain invaluable in complementing Nigeria’s internal security architecture and strengthening the Army’s capacity to respond to evolving security and humanitarian challenges.
