Nigeria's army chief urges unified African forces at Port Harcourt security forum

Chief of Army Staff Lt‑Gen Waidi Shaibu hosted the Third African Land Forces Forum in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, alongside the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL 2026). The forum brought together army chiefs and defence leaders from 17 African countries to discuss stronger collaboration against terrorism, insurgency, transnational organised crime and other security threats. Shaibu highlighted Nigeria’s counter‑terrorism experience, the Multinational Joint Task Force’s role in the Lake Chad Basin, and showcased modern defence technologies and indigenous innovations to boost interoperability and capacity‑building.

During the same event, Shaibu held bilateral talks with Major General Tomas Djass, Chief of the Armed Forces of Guinea‑Bissau, reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership in West African security and pledging deeper military cooperation, joint initiatives and knowledge exchange. The gathering aimed to deepen continental unity, develop coordinated responses to shared threats, and promote lasting peace across Africa.