The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has declared that the relative peace and stability Liberia enjoys today is inseparable from the sacrifices made by Nigerian troops during the country’s brutal civil war.

Speaking at the Barclay Training Centre in Monrovia during activities marking the 69th Armed Forces Day Anniversary of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Shaibu said Nigeria bore the “heaviest operational responsibilities” in the regional effort to halt Liberia’s descent into state collapse.

He noted that under the ECOWAS Monitoring Group, ECOMOG, Nigeria’s intervention was not an act of charity but a deliberate foreign and defence policy choice aimed at safeguarding West African stability. Nigerian soldiers, he stressed, formed the backbone of peace enforcement operations, often deployed to the most volatile fronts and suffering significant casualties in the process.

According to the army chief, Abuja’s sustained commitment of troops, logistics and political capital over many years created the conditions for Liberia’s national reconciliation, democratic transition and post-conflict reconstruction. He described the country’s current stability as a product of “deliberate governmental resolve, African solidarity and the sacrifices of the Nigerian Army.”

In recognition of that contribution, Liberia conferred the Distinguished Service Order on two senior Nigerian officers, Brigadier General Mohammed Sani Usman and Brigadier General Owoicho Egiga, honouring what authorities in Monrovia described as their meritorious service and invaluable support to the Armed Forces of Liberia.

Shaibu also reflected on his personal role in Liberia’s post-war military reform, likening the process to an “aircraft-in-flight” overhaul in which the AFL had to be rebuilt while still conducting operations. He expressed satisfaction that officers once mentored by Nigerian trainers now occupy key command positions, calling the AFL a testament to sustained international partnership and adherence to core military values.

Addressing the theme “Securing Liberia Together: Strengthening Inter-Agency Cooperation Against Drug Trafficking and Emerging Security Threats,” the COAS warned that drug trafficking, cybercrime, maritime insecurity and organised criminal networks have evolved into strategic threats capable of undermining state authority.

He identified the proliferation of synthetic drugs as a critical danger to youth development, economic resilience and internal stability, and urged stronger inter-agency collaboration, intelligence-led operations and deeper regional cooperation. Shaibu reaffirmed that Nigeria remains committed to Liberia’s security, describing the defence relationship as anchored on shared sacrifice and strategic trust forged in adversity.