The French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Col. Stéphane Useo, has described the defence partnership between Nigeria and France as mutually beneficial, as it enhances the defence capabilities and professional standards of both countries.
During a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja, Useo reaffirmed France’s commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Nigeria.
He emphasised their shared responsibility in promoting regional stability, countering emerging threats, and building sustainable military capacity.
Useo commended the Nigerian Army’s successful recovery operations in the Republic of Benin and called for expanded access to strategic professional military courses, particularly in Public Relations and Aviation.
The Defence Attaché highlighted the resilience and dedication of the Nigerian Army in tackling emerging security challenges.
He described the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) as one of the best institutions in Africa, established to train army personnel in civil-military affairs and to improve information and communication management.
In response, the COAS stated that the partnership between Nigeria and France would be further strengthened through intelligence sharing, professional military training, and support for operational readiness.
Shaibu noted that this is essential to advance Nigeria’s efforts in addressing insecurity through sustained international defence cooperation.
He added that such partnerships remain critical to Nigeria’s broader efforts to counter security threats within the region.
The army chief reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to continuous professional development across all corps and stressed the importance of maintaining mutually beneficial bilateral defence cooperation.
Shaibu expressed optimism that a long-term partnership with France, centred on capacity building, advanced training, and enhanced operational effectiveness, aligns with current security realities.
The high-level meeting focused on strengthening operational cooperation between the Nigerian Army and the French Armed Forces to tackle evolving regional and global security challenges.
Meanwhile, two international humanitarian organisations, the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UN DSS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), visited the Theatre Command, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), in Borno State.
The visit aimed to deepen collaboration with the Theatre Command in delivering humanitarian assistance to vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities across the North East region.
Mrs Florence Paussin of the UN-DSS commended OPHK for its professionalism and ongoing efforts to safeguard civilians and humanitarian workers.
Mr Yanich Buvhili, who led the ICRC delegation, praised OPHK for its support of ICRC operations, particularly in facilitating access for family reunification, healthcare delivery, immunisation, and nutrition programmes.
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