• Deepen Lake Chad operations, border surveillance, target IED threats as Washington pledges more support for Nigeria
By John Paul
Nigeria and the United States are stepping up military cooperation against terrorism, with both countries prioritising intelligence sharing, specialised training for Nigerian Special Forces, and stronger operational capabilities against insurgent groups.
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, disclosed the expanded areas of cooperation in Abuja while receiving Major General Matthew Brown, Commander of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), on an official working visit.
The talks focused on reviewing existing joint security initiatives and developing what officials described as a more results-oriented framework for future defence cooperation between Abuja and Washington.
According to a statement by the Defence Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, Musa said Nigeria valued the sustained security partnership with the United States, particularly cooperation in the North-East and Lake Chad Basin.
He said collaborative operations in the region had boosted the morale of Nigerian troops confronting insurgents and other armed groups.
Seeking to consolidate those gains, Musa identified specialised joint training for Special Forces, intelligence sharing, and capacity building as major priorities.
The Defence Minister also sought deeper cooperation in border surveillance and security, counter-improvised explosive device capabilities and the modernisation of defence infrastructure to strengthen Nigeria’s domestic military capacity.
Brown, for his part, described the military relationship between Nigeria and the United States as strategic and founded on mutual trust.
He said his visit was intended to give the United States a clearer understanding of Nigeria’s defence priorities and enable Washington to align its assistance more closely with the country’s security requirements.
The American commander also highlighted counter-terrorism operations against ISIS-affiliated groups in Africa and commended troops involved in confronting the threat.
Brown clarified the nature of current U.S. military engagement in Nigeria following the departure of American soldiers who were part of the Combined Special Task Force that operated in the Bauchi area.
He stressed that U.S. military activities in Nigeria were temporary and centred on institutional support, capacity development and collaboration rather than a permanent military presence.
According to him, closer bilateral intelligence sharing will remain an important component of the partnership as both countries confront evolving terrorist threats.
The renewed cooperation comes as Nigeria intensifies military operations against insurgents in the North-East and seeks greater technological, intelligence and specialised operational capabilities to tackle terrorism, secure its borders and disrupt armed groups.
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