The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commended the Government of the Swiss Confederation for its sustained support and strategic partnership with the Nigerian Army (NA), particularly in the areas of humanitarian assistance, peace-building and conflict prevention.
According to Acting Director Army Public Relations Colonel Appolonia Anele, Lieutenant General Shaibu gave the commendation on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, during a courtesy visit by the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Patrick Felix Egloff, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Florent Geel.
Ambassador Egloff highlighted the long-standing diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Nigeria, reaffirming his country’s commitment to peace promotion, regional stability and institutional cooperation. He noted that Switzerland, widely recognised for its neutrality, diplomacy and peace mediation, remains keen on strengthening collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
The envoy explained that while Switzerland is not a kinetic military power, it has made significant contributions through non-kinetic security interventions. He assured the CoAS of Switzerland’s continued support to Nigerian security agencies in areas such as humanitarian assistance, dialogue facilitation, capacity building and conflict-prevention initiatives.
In his response, the CoAS expressed appreciation for the visit and described Switzerland as a global pacesetter in peace promotion and humanitarian diplomacy. He recalled the pivotal role played by the Swiss Government in facilitating negotiations that led to the release of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2016, noting that such international cooperation has remained critical to confidence-building efforts, including the recent rescue of over 300 kidnapped victims nationwide.
Lieutenant General Shaibu further commended Switzerland for its tangible support to the Nigerian Army, particularly the provision of mobile medical clinics, which he said have significantly enhanced frontline medical care by ensuring prompt and lifesaving treatment for wounded personnel prior to evacuation to military reference hospitals.
He assured the Ambassador of the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to professionalism, adherence to international best practices and respect for fundamental human rights in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities, while underscoring the importance of international partnerships in strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture.
