The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has stated that military support from the United States was not a threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty, maintaining that the collaboration between the two countries was lawful, routine and beneficial to Nigeria’s security operations.
Addressing journalists on Saturday in Abuja at a press conference, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, explained that the assistance came at no financial cost to the federal government.
He emphasised that the arrangement was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s efforts to tackle insecurity.
Responding to questions about the number of US troops currently in Nigeria, General Onoja said the figure was not material, provided their presence contributed to dismantling terrorist networks within the country.
He clarified that the role of the US military was limited to advisory support, intelligence sharing and capacity building.
Onoja cautioned against misinterpreting the partnership, describing it as a routine military-to-military engagement consistent with international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
According to him, such collaborations were common among nations confronting security challenges and were intended to enhance operational effectiveness, not undermine national independence.
He said: “We must appreciate the assistance that the United States Government is providing to the Nigerian military to ensure that the issue of insecurity comes to an end. The ultimate objective of that assistance is to ensure that Nigeria has an environment that is conducive for all citizens to live in peace, free from the threat of terrorists.
“As you know, the American Government has a policy that enables it to pursue terrorists anywhere in the world in order to safeguard its own national interests and national security. Therefore, what they are doing in coming to our aid to assist us should not be considered unusual.”
Earlier, the DHQ had issued a statement underscoring that the collaboration was primarily focused on training Nigerian troops and strengthening counter-terrorism operations nationwide.
The statement, signed by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, noted that the deployment followed deliberations at a working group meeting between Nigerian officials and their US counterparts.
Linus Aleke
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