“So now the central government made the decision to send a high-level delegation from the criminal investigation experts with real experience.

“They come to Nigeria and get to talk to the people, the government, how can they find a way to work together to overcome the challenge they are facing.”

In a white paper titled China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals released in late November, Beijing highlighted its use of port calls and joint exercises to build stronger ties.

A report released last month by London-based think tank the Institute for the Study of Civil Society said China used its military training for foreigners, including ideological education, to promote its model of governance.

It said some of those who received the training later became leaders of the countries, including Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe. More recently, it has trained troops from Namibia and Rwanda

Although China has never disclosed the exact number of African military officers who had received training in China, the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies estimated in a report earlier this year that the number stood at“ tens of thousands”.

Timothy Heath, a security specialist from US think tank Rand Corporation, said China’s training programmes are part of a broader effort to cultivate clients among the elites of the African countries.

“The strengthening of PLA contacts with military elites and [Chinese Communist Party] contacts with local political elites can result in a sympathetic elite power network in each country who might support Beijing’s preferences over those of Western countries,” said Heath.

Sun Yun, director of the China Programme at the Stimson Centre, a Washington-based think tank, said: “The teaching scope is broad, which contains China studies, Chinese military thoughts, military strategis, and so on. All great powers do it. and it is always tied to advancing bilateral relations.”

Malcolm Davis, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the US isn’t “so focused on Africa” although it maintained a presence to counter radical Islamist groups.

“Africa is a lesser priority than the Indo-Pacific, to deter a Chinese move against Taiwan, or to deter Russia from threatening NATO. So China fills the gaps in US presence, expands its influence, and weakens regional support for the US,” he said.