From Molly Kilete, Abuja
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) had pledged to strengthen defence cooperation with the Armed Forces of countries participating in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) towards invigorating the fight against insecurity in the region.
General Magashi has also called for stepping up bilateral and multilateral military cooperations through joint training and retraining of personnel.
He said such military training would build the capacities of the prospective beneficiaries to turn the tide against the adversaries fueling cross-border criminal activities.
The minister made this known when he received an 8-man delegation from the Senegalese Armed Forces led by its Inspector General, Major General Daouda Niang, at his office in Ship House, Abuja.
He outlined various opportunities that abound in the Armed Forces military training Institutions in Nigeria, which he assured were available for Senegalese candidates to buy into for enhanced combat efficiency.
While sharing his experience as ECOMOG Commander of 15 Brigade with the Inspector General of the Senegalese Armed Forces, who had participated in regional operational combat in Liberia, the minister indicated the readiness of the Nigerian Armed Forces in giving support towards raising the standard of the Senegalese Armed Forces Staff College when called upon to render such service.
In his address, General Niang appreciated what he described as the big brother role Nigeria is playing in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
General Niang sought for an enhancement to the existing military cooperation with Nigeria in the effort of the Senegalese Armed Forces to fully professionalise.
He thanked the Minister of Defence for the audience and assured him of the continuing cooperation of the Armed Forces of Senegal with its Nigerian counterpart in areas deemed necessary bilaterally.