The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd) OFR, has successfully concluded a strategic three-day working visit to Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
The high-level delegation focused on deepening bilateral defence cooperation, harmonising regional security frameworks, and reinforcing joint strategies to eliminate cross-border security threats across West Africa, a statement by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Defence noted.
Hosted by his Beninese counterpart, Minister of National Defence, Mr. Gildas Agonkan, the visit delivered actionable commitments across sectors.
General Musa in separate meetings with Mr Agonkan, the Beninese Minister of National Defence and the high military command urged greater alignment between regional security blocs to confront West Africa’s evolving security landscape.
They all reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding democratic governance, stabilising land borders, and securing the Gulf of Guinea against piracy and maritime crime.
On enhanced intelligence sharing, the consensus was to establish seamless, real-time intelligence fusion mechanisms.
This actionable intelligence pipeline will allow both militaries to track, trace, and neutralise transnational criminal networks and insurgent cells before they execute operations.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s zero-tolerance stance against terrorism, the Honourable Minister charged his host to work with Nigeria to aggressively deny safe havens to violent extremist organisations attempting to exploit shared borderlands and declared that in Nigeria, security forces are showing no mercy to terrorists, bandits, and armed extremists.
To reinforce border security, Nigeria offered Benin an olive branch to allow security personnel wider pursuit range at the borders to prevent insurgent spillover and illegal trafficking.
The Honourable Minister and his delegation were also at the Centre for Post Conflict Demining and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Operations (CPADD) and the Glo-Djigbe Industrial Zone (GDIZ). The aim of the visits to these locations was for local capacity building in line with the operation pillar 3 of the Honourable Minister; Intelligence-Driven and Technology-Enabled Defence.
The sessions availed both countries the opportunity to exchange ideas aimed at boosting development and industry of both nations in line with ECOWAS protocols on trade and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.
During the visit, General Musa inspected Nigerian Army troops deployed in Togbin, Cotonou, deployed on the Peace Support Mission in the Republic of Benin under Operation ATILEYIN ALAFIA II.
While boosting the morale of the troops, the Honourable Minister re-echoed his insistence on no mercy for terrorist, “We are going to partner with the troops of the Republic of Benin to ensure that we stop all those bandits, all those criminals that are killing people in our own countries, so that we can deal with them. One of the reasons for my visit is to come here and meet their own Minister of Defence so that we can sit down and see how we can work out our operations together, so that we can stop these people from infiltrating through our borders.”
General Musa assured of the Federal Government’s commitment to improving their welfare and providing necessary support.
“A lot of good things that Mr President is preparing for you, we are following up to ensure that you live very well. We are providing the necessary aspects so that you can do your job. We know our job is very, very difficult, and most times people don’t appreciate what we are doing. But God knows we are doing our best, and we are securing Nigeria,” he said.
The Honourable Minister during the visit held diplomatic talks with Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin, Mrs. Mopelola Ibrahim, reiterating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to military welfare and regional peace.
Mrs Ibrahim and team saw the Honourable Minister through his departure at the end of his visit. He has since returned to Abuja.
