ECOWAS Standby Force Chief of Staff Brigadier General Sheikh Sulaiman Massaquoi urged Nigeria’s military to sustain support for regional peace, including an ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Brigade.
During a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria, General OO Oluyede, in Abuja on September 3, 2026, Massaquoi expressed ECOWAS’s gratitude for Nigeria’s continued leadership and commitment to regional stability.
He was accompanied by staff officers from the ESF Core Task Force Headquarters and the Peace Support Operations Division of the ECOWAS Commission’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security.
Massaquoi specifically sought the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s continued support in advancing rapid deployment capabilities for the ECOWAS Standby Force and in operationalizing the proposed Counter-Terrorism Brigade.
In response, General Oluyede reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to supporting the Standby Force and other regional peace initiatives.
He also announced, on behalf of the Armed Forces, a pledge to donate an 18-seater bus to the Standby Force to enhance its administrative, logistical, and operational activities.
The meeting, which included Principal Staff Officers from Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, was described as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the two forces.