Nigerian Army Chief Urges Unity After Rwanda Visit

During an official working visit to Rwanda, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army, stated that the Rwandan genocide offers profound lessons for Nigeria regarding national unity, tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and conflict prevention. This statement was made while visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which commemorates approximately 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, noted that the memorial serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by ethnic hatred, religious intolerance, and divisive rhetoric. Shaibu urged Nigerians to rise above their differences and embrace collective responsibility for national peace.

His visit also included the Campaign Against Genocide Museum, which chronicles the role of the Rwandan Patriotic Army in ending the genocide, emphasizing the importance of civilian protection and decisive military action in combating such atrocities.