Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has called on the United States government to deepen its support in tackling insecurity in Nigeria through enhanced intelligence sharing, counterterrorism assistance, and military capacity building.
The minister made the appeal during a strategic meeting in Abuja with Major General Garrick Harmon, Director for Strategy, Engagement, and Programs at the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), who is currently on his first official visit to Nigeria in that capacity.
This was contained in a statement signed by Patience Ituke, for the Director of Information and Public Relations.
During the high-level talks, Matawalle highlighted the importance of strengthening Nigeria-U.S. defence cooperation, urging for more assistance in critical areas such as technical training, logistics, and equipment support.
“Nigeria is dedicated to promoting regional peace and security; however, we cannot achieve this alone,”; the minister stated.
“We require more robust support from the United States, particularly in intelligence sharing and capacity building, to effectively combat terrorism, insurgency, and transnational threats,”; he emphasized.
In his response, Major General Harmon appreciated the warm reception from the Nigerian side and restated his country’s commitment to assisting Nigeria in its security drive.
He said, “Despite the brief duration of my visit, the engagements in Nigeria have been highly productive and highlight the strength of the existing partnership between the two nations.”;
Both sides acknowledged their shared interests and agreed on the need for deeper collaboration to overcome growing security challenges in West Africa.
