The United Kingdom Minister of State, in the ministry of Defence Lord Baron Vernon Rodney Coaker, has paid an official visit to the CDS at the Defence Headquarters.
By Chimezie Godfrey
The United Kingdom Minister of State, in the ministry of Defence Lord Baron Vernon Rodney Coaker, has paid an official visit to the CDS at the Defence Headquarters.
The visit, according to him, is to further strengthen the already existing military relationships between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He added that this is the first country he has visited outside the UK since assuming office, while acknowledging the cordial relationships between the two countries.
Lord Coaker further stated that the UK is willing to work with Nigeria to tackle security challenges bedelviling the nation. According to him, both countries will stand together to defend Democracy, as he maintained that Nigeria and the UK cherish democracy as a form of government. He said he looks forward to a continuous working relationship in the nearest future.
The UK Minister described Nigeria as “not a mare friend but a strategic partner”. Therefore, supporting and working together has been the core objectives of UK.
The Chief of Defence Staff ( CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa who was represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshall ( AVM) Shayo Olatunde in his remarks thanked the minister for the visit. He further appreciated the UK for its continuous support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria ( AFN) through sponsorship of Nigeria technical team and Special Forces.
The representative of the CDS also thanked the UK Government for supporting Nigeria Military in the training of over Hundreds of AFN personnel in Civil Military Relations and the provision of counter Improvised Device Mobile equipment.
AVM Olatunde seized the opportunity to request more intervention and collaboration in the areas of training and cyber warfare, amongst others.
