Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff engages in ECOWAS security talks

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Nigeria, General Olufemi Oluyede, recently engaged in diplomatic and institutional activities focused on regional security and military professionalism.

Brigadier General Sheikh Sulaiman Massaquoi, Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force, met with General Oluyede in Abuja to discuss regional peace and security. The meeting focused on advancing rapid support for the ECOWAS Standby Force and the operationalization of the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Brigade. As a gesture of support, the Nigerian military pledged to donate an 18-seater bus to assist the force with logistical and operational activities.

Separately, the Citizens Security Awareness Initiative (CSAI) issued a statement condemning attempts to link General Oluyede and the Armed Forces of Nigeria to partisan politics. The group described such claims as baseless and misleading, asserting that the military remains a professional institution dedicated to the Constitution and the defense of Nigeria’s territorial integrity against terrorism, insurgency, and banditry.