Nigeria, US strengthen military cooperation against terrorism

Nigeria and the United States have agreed to further strengthen their military partnership, particularly in the fight against terrorism and other security threats confronting the country.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja when he received Major General Matthew Brown, Commander of the United States Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), during an official visit to the Ministry of Defence.

According to a statement by Leah Katung Babatunde, Special Adviser on Media to the minister, the visit focused on reviewing ongoing joint security initiatives and developing a more result-oriented framework for future defence cooperation between both countries.

Musa expressed appreciation to the United States government for its continued support of Nigeria’s security efforts, noting that joint operations in the Northeast, particularly within the Lake Chad Basin, had contributed to improving the morale of Nigerian troops.

Among the priority areas identified for enhanced collaboration are specialised joint training for Special Forces, intelligence sharing, capacity building, improved border surveillance and security, and support for counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) operations.

He also identified the modernisation of defence infrastructure as another important area of cooperation, saying stronger infrastructure would help build Nigeria’s long-term capacity to respond to security threats.

Responding, Major General Brown congratulated Nigeria ahead of its Independence Day and expressed appreciation for the longstanding military-to-military relationship between the two countries.

Brown said the partnership had continued to support shared security objectives and highlighted what he described as successful counter-terrorism engagements against ISIS-affiliated groups operating in Africa.

He also commended the Nigerian troops involved in counter-terrorism operations.

Addressing questions surrounding the nature of recent U.S. military activities in Nigeria, following the departure of personnel who were part of the Combined Special Task Force that operated in the Bauchi area, Brown explained that U.S. military activities in Nigeria were temporary and focused primarily on institutional support and collaboration.

He said the United States remained committed to working with Nigerian authorities while respecting the country’s security priorities and strengthening existing areas of cooperation.

Brown described the relationship between Nigeria and the United States as strategic and based on mutual trust.

He explained that a major objective of his visit was to obtain a first-hand understanding of Nigeria’s current defence priorities and use that knowledge to align wider U.S. support with the country’s needs.

He added that the United States would continue to support efforts aimed at strengthening bilateral intelligence sharing and improving cooperation between the armed forces of both countries.

The meeting further underscored the importance of international partnerships in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, improve border security and strengthen the capacity of its military and other security institutions.

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