Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening military cooperation, with counter-terrorism operations, intelligence sharing and specialised training identified as key priorities.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, stated this in Abuja while receiving Major General Matthew Brown, Commander of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), during an official working visit to the Ministry of Defence.
The Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, said in a statement that the visit was aimed at reviewing ongoing joint security initiatives and developing a more results-oriented strategic framework for future defence collaboration.
Musa expressed appreciation to the U.S. Government for its sustained partnership with Nigeria, noting that collaborative security operations in the North-East, particularly around the Lake Chad Basin, had significantly boosted troop morale.
Seeking to build on the gains, the Defence Minister identified specialised joint training for Special Forces, intelligence sharing and capacity building as priority areas for enhanced cooperation between both countries.
He also highlighted enhanced border surveillance and security, counter-improvised explosive device support and the modernisation of defence infrastructure to strengthen Nigeria’s local capacity.
In his remarks, Brown extended early Independence Day felicitations to Nigeria and expressed appreciation for the decades-long military-to-military relationship between both countries, which he said continued to advance common security objectives.
He highlighted counter-terrorism engagements against ISIS-affiliated groups in Africa and commended the troops involved in the operations.
Brown also addressed the nature of U.S. military engagements in Nigeria following the departure of soldiers who formed part of the Combined Special Task Force that operated in the Bauchi area.
He emphasised that U.S. military activities in Nigeria were temporary and focused on institutional support and collaboration.
Describing the bilateral military relationship as strategic and grounded in mutual trust, Brown said the primary purpose of his visit was to gain a direct understanding of Nigeria’s defence priorities.
According to him, this would enable the United States to better align its broader support with Nigeria’s priorities while strengthening ongoing bilateral intelligence-sharing efforts.
Linus Aleke in Abuja
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