The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao has stressed the need for enhanced regional cooperation in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the West African sub-region. He made this known while hosting the Inspector General of Senegalese Armed Forces (SAF), General de Division El hadji Daouda Niang in his office. According to the CAS, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and other armed forces in the Region must synergize their efforts in view of the transnational nature of terrorism and its impact on the security of the entire Region. According to the CAS, past collaborations between the various armed forces in quelling and resolving conflicts in Liberia, Sierra Leone and of recent The Gambia, are indicative of the import of regional cooperation and collaboration. In his words, ‘Now more than ever before is the time for us to come together to curb the current security challenges in West Africa.’ He went on to commend the Senegalese Armed Forces for always being on hand to collaborate with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) whenever the need arose. According to him, the collaboration between the NAF and SAF during its deployment to The Gambia in 2017 which led to the deployment of 200 NAF personnel as well as air assets to Senegal prior to Operation Restore Democracy in The Gambia is indicative of what synergy, cooperation and collaboration can achieve. 

In his remarks, General El hadji Daouda Niang stated that he was in Nigeria to seek for collaboration and strengthen cooperation between the SAF and the AFN. He commended the NAF and other Services for their commitment to Nigeria’s internal security as well as the regional security of West Africa. He also used the occasion of the visit to recall his experience working with members of the AFN in Liberia and the high level of discipline and professionalism they exhibited which left a positive impression on him. General Niang also informed the CAS that the Office of the Inspector General of the SAF, which he occupies is domiciled in the Office of the Senegalese President and charged with the responsibility of ensuring the operational readiness of the entire SAF as well as those of other security agencies in Senegal.

General Niang was accompanied on the visit by departmental heads in the Inspector-General’s Office including the Inspector of Services and Logistics, Colonel Mamadou Sarre; Inspector of Administration and Finances, Colonel Babou Faye; Inspector of Health and Veterinary, Colonel Abdoulaye Ndiaye and the Senegalese Defence Attaché in Nigeria, Colonel Guirane Ndiaye. Also present during the visit were some Branch Heads and the Nigerian Defence Attache to Dakar, Senegal.