The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commended the Government of Switzerland for its sustained support and strategic partnership with the Nigerian Army, particularly in humanitarian assistance, peace-building and conflict prevention.
The commendation was made on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, when the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Patrick Felix Egloff, paid a courtesy visit to the COAS at the Army Headquarters, Abuja. The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr. Florent Geel.
Speaking during the visit, Ambassador Egloff underscored the longstanding diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Nigeria, reaffirming his country’s commitment to promoting peace, regional stability and institutional cooperation. He noted that Switzerland, globally recognised for neutrality, diplomacy and peace mediation, remains keen on strengthening collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
The envoy explained that although Switzerland is not a kinetic military power, it has distinguished itself through non-kinetic security interventions. He assured the COAS of Switzerland’s continued support to Nigerian security agencies through humanitarian assistance, dialogue facilitation, capacity building and conflict-prevention initiatives.
In his response, Lieutenant General Shaibu expressed appreciation for the visit and described Switzerland as a global pacesetter in peace promotion and humanitarian diplomacy. He recalled Switzerland’s critical role in facilitating negotiations that led to the release of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2016, noting that such international cooperation has remained vital to confidence-building efforts, including the recent rescue of over 300 kidnapped victims across the country.
The COAS further commended the Swiss Government for tangible support to the Nigerian Army, particularly the provision of mobile medical clinics, which he said have significantly enhanced frontline medical care by ensuring prompt and lifesaving treatment for wounded personnel prior to evacuation to military reference hospitals.
Lieutenant General Shaibu assured the Ambassador of the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to professionalism, adherence to international best practices and respect for fundamental human rights in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities, emphasising the importance of international partnerships in complementing Nigeria’s internal security architecture.
