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Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has hailed the United States as a key partner in the fight against terrorism, emphasising the importance of stronger information-sharing and military cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking during an X Space on Tuesday themed “Strengthening Security Through Strategic Information Sharing: USA-Military Partnership Against Terrorism,” military officials stressed that intelligence sharing remains a critical tool in combating insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and transnational crimes.
The Director of Defence Information, Nigeria, Major General Markus Kangye, said terrorism remains a transnational threat that requires military capability, strategic communication, technological innovation and strong international partnerships to defeat.
According to him, collaboration between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the United States has produced significant gains in counterterrorism operations, including intelligence-driven missions that have led to the destruction of terrorist enclaves, improved surveillance capabilities and enhanced operational readiness of Nigerian troops through specialised training and joint planning engagements.
Colonel Rebecca Heise, the Director of Public Affairs for the US Africa Command and principal spokesperson for AFRICOM, said that months of intelligence sharing and joint planning between the two countries resulted in successful operations against key ISIS leaders and infrastructure.
Heise disclosed that the joint efforts led to the elimination of approximately 200 ISIS fighters, including what she described as the group’s global second-in-command, as well as the destruction of weapons caches, checkpoints, logistics hubs and financial networks supporting terrorist activities.
“Our collective operations have resulted in the elimination of approximately 200 ISIS fighters, the destruction of ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, and disruptions of financial networks,” Heise said.
She noted that the achievements were made possible through cooperation among Nigerian military forces, the United States military, and Nigerian intelligence agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Responding to questions from participants, Heisey stressed that US military activities in Nigeria are conducted strictly at the invitation of the Nigerian government and within the framework of existing bilateral agreements.
“We are here at the invitation of the government of Nigeria and our activities are agreed upon under the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group Framework,” she said.
Major General Kangye also emphasised that the duration of the partnership will depend on Nigeria’s operational requirements, adding that the country will continue to leverage specialised capabilities provided by the US whenever necessary.
The military spokesman confirmed that both countries have already carried out joint strikes against terrorist targets and described the cooperation as mission-specific and based on mutual security interests.
