By Olayemi Esan
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor says Nigeria and Senegal could strengthen the existing diplomatic and defence collaboration by leveraging their Armed Forces operational and training experiences for greater effectiveness and efficiency.
In a statement by the Deputy Director Defence Information, Air Commodore Wap Maigida, the CDS made the disclosure today 30 June 2021, while granting audience to the Inspector-General of the Senegalese Armed Forces (SAF), Major General El hadji Daouda Niang, in his office at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
General Irabor also called for concerted efforts of stakeholders in combating transnational terrorism in the West African Sub-region.
The CDS stated that transnational nature of global insurgency and terrorism required collective efforts by armed forces to restrain the movement of criminal elements operating within the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin.
Gen Irabor further explained that the collaboration would significantly restore peace in the West African sub-region.
He commended the SAF for playing a pivotal role in curtailing the trans-Sahelian movements of criminal elements in Mali.
The Inspector General General of the Senegalese Armed Forces, Major General El hadji Daouda Niang, said the purpose of his visit was to access the operational engagement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
The Inspector-General expressed the commitment of the SAF to work closely with the Nigerian military for mutual benefits.
Maj Gen Niang, while showering encomium on the AFN for its past exploits in global and regional peace support operations, revealed that the collaboration between both armed forces would further strengthen their fight against insurgency, terrorism and other forms of insecurity bedeviling the West African sub-region.
The visiting Senegalese delegation, who arrived Nigeria on 26 June, 2021 on a working tour of military establishments and institutions across the country, had earlier paid a courtesy call on the Honourable Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Magashi (rtd) and the Service Chiefs.
