The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has called for stronger military cooperation among African countries to combat terrorism, insurgency and other emerging security threats.
Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, on Tuesday, said Shaibu made the call on Monday, October 26, during bilateral talks with the Commander of the Zambia Army, Lt. Gen. Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele, on the sidelines of the African International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 in Lagos.
TheFact Daily notes that Shaibu’s engagements at AFRIDEX 2026, brought together African military leaders, defence industry stakeholders and strategic partners to explore defence collaboration, technological advancement and collective responses to emerging security threats.
He said the growing threats of terrorism, transnational organised crime and unconstitutional changes of government required a coordinated response, stressing that no country could tackle the challenges effectively in isolation.
The COAS reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to deepening military relations with Zambia and other African partners through intelligence sharing, joint training, counter-terrorism operations, peace support missions and capacity development.
In his response, Zyeele commended the Nigerian Army’s contributions to regional security and counter-terrorism efforts, expressing Zambia’s readiness to strengthen military ties with Nigeria to improve operational effectiveness and advance shared security interests.
