Signing an agreement with its counterpart in Nigeria on security cooperation

In Niamey, Republic of Niger, on Wednesday, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), met with General Moussa Salaou Barmou, Chief of Staff of the Nigerien Armed Forces, with the aim of establishing a shared objective of strengthening the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Niger and looking into ways to improve security cooperation.

In a statement, the defense spokesman, Brigadier General Tukar Gusau, said that both sides acknowledged the value of ongoing communication and cooperation in tackling issues related to mutual security and bolstering Nigeria’s strategic alliance with Niger.

They emphasized the necessity of upholding and extending current collaborations, such as cooperative military exercises, intelligence exchanges, and tactical synchronization.

“The Chiefs of Defence acknowledged that the proliferation of light and small weaponry has a substantial effect on security. They also acknowledged that increased instability and warfare in the area are caused in part by these weapons’ broad accessibility.

“They also committed to working together on projects to improve border security and assist regional and global efforts to regulate and lessen the proliferation of these weapons, as well as to step up their efforts to stop the illegal flow of small arms and light weapons.

Niger affirmed its readiness to resume active participation in security cooperation under the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJT).” As a result, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to resuming and strengthening collaboration, with a view to ensuring regional stability and security. They also reaffirmed that Nigeria is widely known for adherence to its principle of good neighborliness and would not be used to destabilize Niger or any of Nigeria’s contiguous countries.

The invitation to visit Nigeria, where they will formalize the terms of the agreed-upon cooperation and agree to establish a Nigerien advisory committee to communicate with its Nigerian counterpart, has also been accepted by the Chief of Staff of the Nigerien Armed Forces, in order to maintain channels of communication between the two nations and discuss the numerous topics of shared interest. Additionally, it was decided that the Advisory Groups should work together to establish policies aimed at bolstering bilateral ties.