The Nigerian military and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening security cooperation against terrorism, emphasising intelligence sharing, joint operations and capacity building as key pillars of the partnership.
The commitment was reiterated during an X Space discussion monitored by PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.
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The partnership between the two countries was forged weeks after United States President Donald Trump claimed that there was a Christian genocide ongoing in Nigeria and eventually ordered airstrikes against those he described as Islamic State terrorists targeting Christians in North-west.
Mr Trump also accused the Nigerian government of being complicit in the “genocide” because it failed to curb it. However, the government rejected the claim, saying Nigerians of all faiths and backgrounds are being targeted by armed groups.
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This disagreement eventually led to the formation of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group framework under which 200 US troops were deployed to the West African country.
Their deployment generated public debates with critics arguing that such a partnership will undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty. But the Nigerian government disputed this.
The X Space
The X space discussion, titled ‘Strengthening Security Through Strategic Information Sharing: United States and Nigerian Military Partnership Against Terrorism’, featured officials from the Nigerian military, AFRICOM, and members of the public.
Responding to questions on the duration of the partnership, AFRICOM’s Director of Public Affairs, Rebecca Heyse, a colonel, said US cooperation with Nigeria is based on mutual interests and respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty.
“Our operations and cooperation with Nigeria are rooted in fundamental respect for Nigerian sovereignty,” she said. “We operate strictly by invitation and under the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group framework.”
According to her, the United States will continue to support Nigeria as long as both countries consider the partnership beneficial in addressing shared security threats.
“As long as there are shared security threats and the framework continues to be of value to both countries, the United States remains committed to the partnership,” she added.
However, Ms Heyse deflected questions about the current position of the US government on Christian genocide.
The spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, Samiala Uba, a major general, said the extent and duration of US involvement would be determined by Nigeria’s operational requirements.
“The cooperation is at the instance of Nigeria. The competencies, specialised capabilities and expertise the United States brings are things we require, and as long as we require them, we will continue to work together under the Joint Working Group framework,” he said.
Joint strikes, intelligence sharing
During the discussion, Mr Uba disclosed that the partnership has gone beyond intelligence sharing and training to include joint operational actions against terrorist groups.
When the US troops were deployed early this year, the defence spokesperson said they wouldn’t be involved in direct combat operations. According to him, the United States soldiers will only provide technical support, including training.
However, Mr Uba confirmed during the X space discussion that Nigerian and US forces had conducted joint strikes against terrorist targets, describing the collaboration as mission-specific and focused on enhancing operational effectiveness.
“We have carried out joint strikes in addition to intelligence sharing and other forms of cooperation. As long as we require those capabilities, we will continue to engage our partners,” he said.
This newspaper reported that a joint operation involving Nigerian and US troops killed more than 20 terrorists in the insurgency-ravaged North-east, including Abubakar Mainok, a top commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Participants in the discussion noted that military operations appeared to have become more offensive in recent months, with security forces increasingly targeting terrorist hideouts and strongholds.
Ms Heyse, the AFRICOM representative, said the existing partnership had yielded significant results through intelligence cooperation and operational collaboration.
“The sharing of intelligence and information has yielded significant results. The recent effects of our operations show that we are productive partners when we work together,” she said.
Capacity building and training
Beyond battlefield operations, the officials said the partnership has enhanced Nigerian troops’ capacity through specialised training programmes.
Mr Uba revealed that hundreds of Nigerian personnel were currently undergoing training in the North-east as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the military’s operational capabilities.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria is benefiting immensely from this collaboration, including skills development and specialised training. There are many operational lessons we continue to learn through our interaction with the United States,” he said.
Whole-of-society approach
Addressing questions on non-military strategies in the fight against terrorism, Mr Uba said military action alone could not defeat extremism.
He said Nigeria was pursuing a whole-of-society approach involving religious leaders, traditional institutions, civil society groups, government agencies, and economic empowerment programmes to address the root causes of radicalisation.
“Terrorism cannot be defeated by kinetic (military offensives) means alone,” he said. “Non-kinetic measures such as community engagement, economic empowerment, strategic communication and the involvement of religious and traditional leaders are equally important.”
The military spokesperson said relevant key players, including journalists, traditional rulers, non-governmental organisations and political leaders, are needed to develop broader responses to insecurity.
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Presidency commends partnership
Also speaking during the discussion, a presidential spokesperson, Sunday Dare, commended the collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.
He said strategic information sharing had become increasingly important in counterterrorism operations and credited the partnership with helping to improve the tempo of military operations against insurgents.
“We want to thank the US government for the active collaboration they have had with our military. Nigeria has seen the war against terror increase in tempo and consistency, and we have recorded massive successes in counter-insurgency operations,” he said.
