The Chairman, Pakistani Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen. Nadeem Raza, has called for enhanced defence collaboration between Nigeria and Pakistan in the areas of training, military hard ware and intelligence sharing.
Raza made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, on Thursday, in Abuja.
He said that drawing from the experiences of the two countries in confronting security challenges like insurgency and terrorism, Pakistan would be a useful partner to Nigeria in its ongoing military campaign against insurgency.
According to him, Nigeria is one of the most important countries in the African Continent and the relationship that exists between Pakistan and Nigeria should be enhanced further.
He said that Pakistan had achieved development in the area of defence capabilities such that the Nigerian military could benefit from.
He also requested the CDS to send a team to visit the Pakistani military facility to see its level of capabilities.
“We have gone through a very hard way in the last 20 years but we have been able to control the situation there up to 99 per cent.
“You are also facing that kind of problem in the north where Boko Haram are operating and we are ready to share experience with you,” he said.
Responding, the Chief of Defence Staff said that the Nigerian Armed Forces had remained steadfast in fostering bilateral cooperation to develop capacity to confront insurgency and other security challenges.
He commended the Pakistani military chief for the visit to the Nigerian Armed Forces, adding that a number of personnel from the Nigerian military had been receiving from Pakistan.
He pledged that the military would strengthen the existing relationship towards enhancing the capability of the nation’s armed forces in the area of intelligence gathering.
According to him, Pakistan stands a good ground for the Nigerian Armed Forces to improve on its defence production capabilities.
Raza also paid similar visit to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, and sought for further collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
While appreciating the Nigerian Army for remaining resolute in the face of an unconventional war against home grown-terrorism, he said there was a lot the two countries can learn from each other.
Responding, Yahaya stated that the Nigerian Army would collaborate with the Pakistani Army in area of Improvised Explosive Dives (IEDs), especially in the North East, which has been a major area of concern to the Nigerian Army.
The COAS also pledged to leverage on the existing relationship with the Pakistani Army in the areas of training of special forces, establishment of army aviation and production of equipment and artillery.
He said that several officers of the Nigerian Army had trained in Pakistan, expressing hope that such collaboration would continue. (NAN)
