By Miriam Humbe
The United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Defence, Lord Baron Vernon Rodney Coaker, has paid an official visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) at the Defence Headquarters.
Director Defence Information,
Brigadier General Tukur Gusau disclosed this in a statement signed on Wednesday.
The UK Minister of State for Defence said the visit was to further strengthen the already existing military relationships between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
He said that this was the first country he had visited outside the UK since assuming office, and acknowledged the cordial relationships between the two countries.
Lord Coaker further said that the UK was willing to work with Nigeria to tackle security challenges bedeviling the nation.
He said that both countries would stand together to defend Democracy, as both Nigeria and the UK cherished democracy as a form of government.
He said he looked forward to a continuous working relationship in the nearest future.
The UK Minister said Nigeria was “not a mere friend but a strategic partner”, therefore, supporting and working together had been the core objectives of UK.
Nigeria’s 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 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 requested more intervention and collaboration in the areas of training and cyber warfare, amongst others.
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