By Nkechi Eze
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) have expressed commitment to strengthening military cooperation and intelligence collaboration to address emerging security threats across the West African sub-region.
The commitment was made on Thursday, November 12, 2026, when the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Anthony Oluwatosin Ogunjimi, paid a familiarisation visit to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
According to an official statement signed by Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, Ogunjimi, who was received by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, called for deeper institutional engagement between the regional organisation and Nigeria’s military establishment to tackle evolving security challenges.
The ECOWAS Vice President commended the leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) for its contributions to peace, security and regional stability, particularly its involvement in peace support operations and stabilisation efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
He described Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to collective security as a major pillar of ECOWAS’ regional integration and stability efforts.
Ogunjimi also acknowledged the Defence Headquarters’ efforts in safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and supporting regional security objectives, expressing the Commission’s readiness to expand cooperation in security operations, strategic engagements and other collaborative initiatives.
Responding, Oluyede emphasised the need for stronger partnerships and collective responsibility among ECOWAS member states, noting that the security challenges confronting West Africa required coordinated regional responses.
The CDS stressed that effective regional security could only be achieved through cooperation, mutual trust and a shared commitment among member states.
He urged countries within the ECOWAS community to strengthen military-to-military relations, improve intelligence sharing and deepen operational collaboration to address security threats that transcend national boundaries.
Oluyede further reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to supporting peace, stability and security across the sub-region in line with Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives and its longstanding role in collective security initiatives.
The engagement, according to the statement, further reinforced the strategic relationship between the ECOWAS Commission and the Defence Headquarters, with both sides expressing interest in closer cooperation to address security challenges across West Africa.
