The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Waidi Shaibu, has urged Nigerian Army defence advisers serving in foreign missions to use defence diplomacy and international partnerships to strengthen the army’s operational capacity and improve troops’ combat readiness.
The army’s spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying Mr Shaibu gave the charge on Friday while receiving Nigerian Army Defence Advisers serving in different countries at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
According to the statement, the COAS stressed the need to turn diplomatic engagements into practical benefits through strategic partnerships that would help the Nigerian Army acquire modern military equipment, advanced technology, improved training and essential logistics support for troops on the frontline.
He also urged the advisers to prioritise partnerships that would provide access to critical military hardware, particularly ammunition, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles, to improve troop protection and operational effectiveness.
The statement further said the Director of Foreign Liaison at the Defence Intelligence Agency, Kingsley Nwoko, commended the COAS for his leadership, noting that his visit provided an opportunity to align defence diplomatic engagements with the Nigerian Army’s expansion plans.
