Nigeria defence chief visits Niger Republic

General Christopher Musa, the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), is presently visiting Niger Republic for discussions with General Mousa Barmo, the Nigerien Chief of Defence Staff. This visit was confirmed by Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Acting Director of Defence Information, who shared the details with reporters in Abuja on Wednesday.

Photos released by Gusau show General Musa being welcomed by his Nigerien counterpart. Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso recently declared their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following their expulsion due to disruptions in democratic governance within their countries.

As Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Defence Chiefs, General Musa had previously advocated for the reintegration of these three nations into the regional bloc during a recent Abuja meeting. He emphasized the importance of their return for addressing regional security challenges, particularly insurgency. General Musa highlighted ongoing efforts to bring these countries back into the fold and stressed the need for a collective effort to tackle insecurity in West Africa.

Today’s visit to Niamey is likely related to these ongoing discussions about the re-entry of the three nations into ECOWAS.