Nigeria, U.S. strengthen military partnership against terrorism

By Chuks Oyema-Aziken

Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening military cooperation in the fight against terrorism, with both countries seeking to enhance joint security initiatives and strengthen defence collaboration.

The development was disclosed in a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, following a meeting between the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), and the Commander of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), Major General Matthew Brown, in Abuja on Wednesday.

During the meeting, General Musa reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening military relations with the United States, particularly in counter-terrorism operations. He noted that the visit provided an opportunity to review ongoing joint security initiatives and develop a more result-oriented framework for future defence cooperation.

The minister expressed appreciation to the U.S. government for its continued support, saying collaborative security operations in the North-East, especially around the Lake Chad Basin, have contributed significantly to boosting troop morale and operational effectiveness.

To consolidate existing gains, Musa identified key areas requiring enhanced cooperation, including specialised joint training for Special Forces, intelligence sharing and capacity building, improved border surveillance and security, Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) support, and the modernisation of defence infrastructure to strengthen local capacity.

In his remarks, Major General Brown conveyed early Independence Day greetings to Nigeria and commended the longstanding military-to-military relationship between both countries, describing it as critical to advancing shared security objectives.

He highlighted successful counter-terrorism operations against ISIS-affiliated groups in Africa and praised the troops involved in the operations. Brown also clarified that U.S. military activities in Nigeria remain temporary and are focused on institutional support, training and collaboration following the withdrawal of soldiers who had previously served with the Combined Special Task Force operating in the Bauchi area.

According to him, the U.S.-Nigeria defence partnership is built on mutual trust and strategic cooperation, adding that his visit was aimed at gaining a clearer understanding of Nigeria’s defence priorities in order to align future U.S. support and strengthen ongoing bilateral intelligence-sharing efforts.

The meeting underscored the growing defence relationship between both countries as they seek to enhance regional security and confront emerging terrorist threats across the continent.

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