By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for stronger military cooperation among ECOWAS member states to confront terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and other emerging security threats across West Africa.
Shaibu made the call on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, when the Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force, Brigadier General Sheik Massaquoi, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters, Abuja.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS said the increasingly complex and cross-border nature of security threats made regional collaboration essential.
He said individual countries could not effectively tackle transnational threats in isolation, stressing that West African states would be better positioned to secure the subregion through collective action.
Shaibu urged military leaders across the region to leverage their professional expertise, operational experience and shared understanding of the security environment to develop practical responses to emerging threats.
He also called for sustained military-to-military cooperation through intelligence sharing, regular dialogue, joint training and exercises, as well as the review and harmonisation of military doctrines.
According to him, stronger cooperation would improve interoperability, operational readiness and the capacity of regional forces to plan and respond collectively to security challenges.
The Army Chief reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to Nigeria’s regional security obligations and pledged continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening the ECOWAS security architecture.
He said a responsive regional security framework was essential to protecting populations, safeguarding peace and creating an environment conducive to sustainable development across West Africa.
Earlier, Massaquoi commended the Nigerian Army for its contributions to peacekeeping, regional security and defence cooperation, while calling for the transformation of the ECOWAS Standby Force into a more proactive and interoperable regional security capability.
He identified updated military doctrines, enhanced joint training and exercises, and stronger defence partnerships among member states as critical to improving the force’s ability to respond to evolving threats.
Massaquoi also sought Nigeria’s continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening the operational effectiveness of the ECOWAS Standby Force and its capacity to fulfil its mandate of promoting collective security, peace and stability across the subregion.
