The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for stronger Nigeria–Rwanda defence cooperation in improvised explosive device (IED) threat mitigation, victim care, counterterrorism and counterinsurgency (CTCOIN), and military capacity development.
Shaibu made the call during a meeting with Rwanda’s Defence Minister, Juvenal Marizamunda, in Kigali on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, stressing the importance of shared expertise and specialised training in tackling evolving security threats and promoting regional stability.
He commended Rwanda’s military professionalism, discipline and training standards, particularly at the Rwanda Military Academy in Gako, and urged both countries to expand collaboration in IED detection, countermeasures and victim care, while leveraging their counterterrorism experiences to improve operational readiness and protect civilians.
In his response, Marizamunda acknowledged the Nigerian Army’s contributions to bilateral defence relations through professional exchanges, from officer-cadet training to strategic-level military education.
He also recognised Nigeria’s deployment of two directing staff to support the development of the National Defence College–Rwanda and called for stronger collaboration in counterinsurgency and peace support operations.
Both leaders emphasised the importance of sustained defence partnerships, specialised training and knowledge-sharing in strengthening military capabilities and advancing regional and international peace.
