Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have signed a five-year defence partnership aimed at strengthening military cooperation and addressing shared security concerns.

According to a statement by Ahmed Dan Wudil, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of State for Defence, the agreement covers strategic collaboration in security operations, military training, intelligence sharing, defence production, and joint operations.

The MoU was signed by Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Matawalle, while Dr. Khaleed H. Al-Biyari represented Saudi Arabia.

The ministry described the pact as a major step toward enhancing bilateral relations and improving efforts to tackle emerging security threats.

Read Also: Nigeria, India Reaffirm Military Partnership

The announcement comes amid renewed public scrutiny of Matawalle over an old video resurfacing online. Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode defended Matawalle, dismissing the criticism as a “vicious media campaign” and praising his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and contributions to counter-terrorism efforts.

Fani-Kayode claimed cooperation between Matawalle and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu had led to significant counter-terrorism gains, while urging the minister to remain focused.

Source: Punch