By Joy Odor Abuja
The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening defence ties with the Czech Republic as both countries move closer to signing a comprehensive cooperation agreement.
Badaru gave the assurance in Abuja while receiving a high-level Czech delegation led by the country’s Junior Deputy Minister of Defence, Radka Konderlova to his office on Tuesday.
The delegation also included the Czech Ambassador to Nigeria, Zdenek Krejci, and senior officials.
He described the visit as a “clear demonstration of friendship and a shared commitment to addressing common security challenges in Nigeria, West Africa, and the wider world.”
The Minister recalled earlier exchanges, including the follow-up visit of Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff to Prague, as evidence of the seriousness of the partnership.
According to him, discussions initiated in January 2023 through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are now maturing into concrete collaborations that will deliver tangible benefits to both countries.
He expressed optimism that the visit would fast-track progress towards a formal defence cooperation agreement.
“This partnership goes beyond visits; it is about building lasting frameworks that will strengthen our armed forces, promote regional stability, and deepen the friendship between our two countries,” Badaru said.
In her remarks, Konderlova reaffirmed Nigeria’s position as the Czech Republic’s most important defence partner in West Africa.
She noted that foundations for strong bilateral cooperation have already been laid and confirmed that Nigeria is among the select countries with which Prague is pursuing a formal defence pact.
Both sides agreed to sustain regular high-level engagements and fast-track working-level negotiations in areas of mutual interest, including training, capacity building, logistics, and equipment interoperability.
