Nigeria remains dependable partner in tackling transnational security threats - COAS
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, said Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains a dependable strategic partner to Liberia and the West African sub-region, committed
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, said Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains a dependable strategic partner to Liberia and the West African sub-region, committed to defence cooperation, capacity building, and collective responses to transnational security threats.
General Shaibu said this on Wednesday in Monrovia while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the 69th Armed Forces Day anniversary of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).
He noted that the Nigeria-Liberia defence relationship is anchored on shared sacrifice, strategic trust, and an unbreakable bond forged in adversity.
General Shaibu reaffirmed Nigeria’s “resolute commitment” to Liberia’s security, describing it as inseparable from the stability of the wider West African sub-region.
The COAS said the stability Liberia enjoys today is a direct result of deliberate government action, African solidarity, and the sacrifices of the Nigerian Army.
In a statement by the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Apollonia Anele, General Shaibu said Nigeria’s intervention in Liberia during the civil war was “neither incidental nor transactional, but a deliberate foreign and defence policy decision in the collective interest of West African stability.”
The COAS noted Nigeria’s pivotal role in the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), saying its troops formed the backbone of peace enforcement operations, bore the heaviest operational responsibilities, and suffered significant casualties in efforts to halt state collapse, restore law and order, and preserve Liberia’s sovereignty.
He said the Federal Government of Nigeria showed exceptional leadership by committing troops, resources, and political will over an extended period, laying the foundation for national reconciliation, democratic transition, and post-conflict reconstruction in Liberia.
General Shaibu, who once served as Military Assistant to a former Chief of Army Staff of Liberia, recalled his personal involvement in the early stages of rebuilding the AFL, noting that the AFL and other regional partners carried out what he described as a complex “aircraft-in-flight” reform process that rebuilt the force while it remained operational.
He expressed satisfaction that officers mentored during that formative period now occupy key leadership positions, describing the AFL as a shining testament to sustained international partnership, regional cooperation, and adherence to core military values.
The COAS urged the AFL to jealously guard its ethos of sacrifice, professionalism, and loyalty to constitutional authority, stressing that Nigeria would continue to provide advisory and capacity-building support in furtherance of Liberia’s stability and regional peace.
Speaking to the theme of the occasion, “Securing Liberia Together: Strengthening Inter-Agency Cooperation Against Drug Trafficking and Emerging Security Threats,” the COAS said drug trafficking, cybercrime, maritime insecurity, and organised criminal networks have evolved into strategic security challenges capable of undermining state authority and regional stability.
He stressed that drug trafficking, especially the proliferation of synthetic drugs, now constitutes a critical national security threat with direct implications for youth development, economic resilience, and internal stability.
The COAS advocated robust inter-agency synergy, intelligence-led operations, strengthened legal frameworks, and enhanced regional cooperation as indispensable pillars of effective security governance.
He urged Liberia to sustain and deepen the “Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society” approach in confronting both current and emerging threats.
