Nigeria and Rwanda are planning military cadet exchanges, expanded counterterrorism training and defence industrial collaboration to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and regional security.
The initiatives were proposed on Monday by Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, during his official visit to Rwanda and discussions with the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Army Chief of Staff, Major General Vincent Nyakarundi.
The proposed programmes include four-year training for two Nigerian Defence Academy cadets at the Rwanda Military Academy, reciprocal training opportunities for Rwandan cadets and collaboration between the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and Rwandan institutions to boost local defence production.
Shaibu also proposed expanded personnel exchanges, peacekeeping pre-deployment training through the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, and cooperation in logistics, Military Police training, counterterrorism and counterinsurgency.
He said closer defence industrial ties would promote indigenous military equipment production, technology development and self-reliance. He also honoured the Rwandan Patriotic Army for its sacrifices during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, particularly the 600 personnel who defended Kigali.
Nyakarundi commended the Nigerian Army for providing specialised Military Police and intelligence training to Rwandan personnel, while advocating expanded professional military education through Nigeria’s military training institutions.
He welcomed the proposed cadet exchanges and defence production partnership, describing them as evidence of growing trust and professional solidarity between both armies.
