Nigeria and United States forge partnership against terrorism – Blueprint Newspapers Limited

The Minister of Defense, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening military relations with the United States, particularly in counter-terrorism operations.

A statement released on Thursday by Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Defense Leah Katung-Babatunde, noted that General Musa made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving Major General Matthew Brown, Commander, US Army Southern Europe Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), who was on an official working visit to the Ministry of Defence.

Blueprint reports that the visit aimed to review ongoing joint security initiatives and formulate a more results-oriented strategic framework for future defense collaboration.

Expressing appreciation to the US Government for its enduring partnership, General Musa noted that collaborative security operations in the Northeast, particularly around the Lake Chad Basin, have significantly boosted troop morale. To build on these achievements, the Minister highlighted key priority areas for enhanced cooperation, including: specialized joint training for special forces, intelligence sharing and capacity building, enhanced border surveillance and security, counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) support, and modernization of defense infrastructure to strengthen local capacity.

In his remarks, Major General Brown extended his first Independence Day congratulations to Nigeria and expressed gratitude for the decades-long military-to-military relationship that continues to advance common security objectives.

He particularly highlighted successful counter-terrorism engagements against ISIS-affiliated groups in Africa and praised the troops involved. Reaffirming the nature of US commitments in the region following the departure of soldiers who were part of the Combined Special Task Force operating in the Bauchi area, Major General Brown stressed that US military activities in Nigeria are temporary and focused on institutional support and collaboration.

Describing the bilateral relationship as strategic and built on mutual trust, Major General Brown said the primary objective of his visit was to gain a first-hand understanding of Nigeria’s defense priorities in order to align broader US support and strengthen continued bilateral intelligence sharing.