Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has called on member states of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to set aside political differences and work together to tackle security threats across the sub-region. Oluyede said stronger military cooperation and regional unity are necessary to combat terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and maritime insecurity. He made the call when the outgoing and incoming chairmen of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Amara Idara Bangura of Sierra Leone and Vice Admiral Oumar Wade of Senegal, respectively, visited him at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. The Chief of Defence Staff described the visit as a demonstration of solidarity among the military leadership of ECOWAS member states, stressing that no country could effectively address security challenges in isolation. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace and security, assuring the incoming chairman of the country’s continued support for ECOWAS security initiatives.