As part of the handover of responsibilities between the outgoing and incoming Chair of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS), Lieutenant General Amara Idara Bangoura, Chief of Defence Staff of Sierra Leone and outgoing Chair, and Vice Admiral Oumar Wade, Chief of Defence Staff of Senegal and incoming Chair, paid a courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General O. O. Oloyede, at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on 13^th October 2026.

The delegation was accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF), the Commander of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot, and the Programme Officers responsible for Operations and planning and that of Intelligence and Evaluation in the Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD).

During the visit, Lieutenant General Bangoura expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff for the support extended to him throughout his tenure as Chairman of the Committee of Chief of Defence Staff. He requested that the same support be extended to his successor.

In his remarks, Vice Admiral Wade thanked General Oloyede for the warm reception and sought his continued support in carrying out the responsibilities of his new role.

Responding, General Oloyede commended the outgoing Chairman for his leadership of the ECOWAS Committee of Chief of Defence Staff and pledged his support to the incoming Chair.