The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen, Waidi Shaibu, has charged Nigerian Army defence advisers serving in foreign missions to leverage defence diplomacy and international partnerships to strengthen the army’s operational capabilities and combat readiness.

In a statement on Saturday, the army’s spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, said the COAS charged the defence on strategic partnerships to boost troops combat capabilities, during his visit at the Army Headquarters , Abuja on Friday while receiving Nigerian Army Defence Advisers serving in various countries of the world. 

It added that the COAS emphasised the need to translate diplomatic engagements into tangible gains through strategic engagement to enable the Nigerian Army to expand acquisition of modern military equipment, advanced technology, training and critical logistics support for frontline troops.

According to the statement, Mr Shaibu charged them to prioritise strategic partnerships that will facilitate access to critical military hardware, particularly ammunition and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles to enhance troop protection and operational effectiveness.

The statement added that the Director Foreign Liaison, Defence Intelligence Agency, Kingsley Nwoko, commended the COAS for his leadership, noting that his visit provided an avenue to align defence diplomatic engagements with the Nigerian Army expansion.