The defence partnership between Nigeria and France is mutually reinforcing and continues to enhance the operational capacity and professional standards of both armed forces, France’s Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Col. Stéphane Useo, has said.
Useo spoke during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja, where he reaffirmed France’s commitment to deepening military cooperation with Nigeria in the face of evolving regional security challenges.
He emphasised the shared responsibility of both nations in promoting regional stability, countering emerging threats, and building sustainable defence capacity. The Defence Attaché commended the Nigerian Army for its successful recovery operations in the Republic of Benin and called for expanded access to strategic professional military courses, particularly in Public Relations and Aviation.
Useo also praised the resilience and professionalism of the Nigerian Army in addressing complex security threats, describing the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) as one of the best military public relations institutions in Africa. He noted that the school plays a critical role in strengthening civil-military relations and information management.
In his response, Lt.-Gen. Shaibu said Nigeria and France would continue to strengthen collaboration in intelligence sharing, professional military training, and support for operational readiness. He noted that sustained international defence cooperation remains vital to Nigeria’s efforts to combat insecurity and safeguard regional stability.
The army chief reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to continuous professional development across all corps and expressed optimism that a long-term partnership with France—focused on capacity building, advanced training, and enhanced operational effectiveness—aligns with contemporary security realities.
The high-level engagement centred on deepening operational cooperation between the Nigerian Army and the French Armed Forces to address evolving regional and global security threats.
Meanwhile, two international humanitarian organisations—the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UN DSS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)—have visited the Theatre Command, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), in Borno State to strengthen collaboration aimed at delivering humanitarian assistance to vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities in the North East.
Mrs. Florence Paussin of the UN-DSS commended OPHK for its professionalism and efforts to safeguard civilians and humanitarian workers, while Mr. Yanich Buvhili, who led the ICRC delegation, praised the military for its support in facilitating family reunification, healthcare delivery, immunisation, and nutrition programmes.