Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) don call for strong regional defence cooperation and local defence manufacturing to handle the security threats wey dey grow and to reduce the problem of getting military equipment, critical technologies and capabilities.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop, talk say the way geopolitical environment dey change and the security challenges wey dey complex well well mean say West African countries must build resilience, self-reliance and local defence capabilities.

Diop make this call when e dey deliver keynote address at the Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX), wey open for Lagos on October 26 and go run reach October 30.

He describe the exhibition as timely demonstration of Nigeria leadership wey don long dey advance regional peace, security and integration, and he commend President Bola Tinubu for him commitment to ECOWAS regional peace and security agenda.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, represent Tinubu at the opening ceremony.

Diop list terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime, maritime insecurity and cyber threats among the security challenges wey African countries dey face, and he stress say e important to develop local defence capabilities to respond to them.