ABUJA, Nigeria (BN24) — Defence chiefs from across Africa have pledged to deepen regional cooperation in intelligence sharing, border security, and joint military operations, as part of a unified strategy to confront terrorism, trafficking, piracy, and cyber warfare threatening stability across the continent.
The commitments were made during the inaugural African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit, which concluded Wednesday in Abuja. Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said the meeting underscored the urgency of an integrated security approach to combat transnational threats made worse by porous borders and fragmented national responses.
“In the first plenary of this summit, we discussed the need for more effective border management and regional security cooperation,” Musa said. “Porous borders continue to enable terrorism, trafficking, and armed banditry. It was evident from our discussions that integrated frameworks, intelligence sharing, and coordinated joint operations are the only effective ways to defeat these threats.”
Musa emphasized that terrorism and insecurity in one part of Africa threatens peace across the entire continent, stressing the need for countries to transcend bilateral security efforts in favor of broader, collective arrangements. The summit, he added, provided an unprecedented opportunity for Africa’s top military leaders to forge both professional and personal ties essential for coordinated action on the ground.
“This summit is a declaration of Africa’s determination to take ownership of its peace, stability, and future,” Musa said. “We explored key areas, including joint training, investment in indigenous defence technologies, and youth engagement as long-term strategies.”
A key part of the summit’s dialogue focused on how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence can be harnessed to bolster early warning systems, improve situational awareness, and neutralize hostile networks operating across borders.
Musa urged participants to move beyond deliberation and take tangible steps to implement the recommendations made during the summit. “Let us not allow these rich discussions to remain within the conference halls,” he said. “Let this summit be a turning point for decisive and collective action.”
Looking ahead, the Nigerian defence chief announced that Lagos will host an international defence exhibition next year. The event is expected to showcase regional capabilities and strengthen defence partnerships across Africa.
The summit marks a significant step toward building a cohesive, continent-wide response to increasingly complex and interconnected security threats—an approach African leaders say is essential for sustainable peace and development.
Credit: Punching.Com
