By Esther Oseyiomon
Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening security cooperation, counter-terrorism efforts and the protection of civilians, following a high-level bilateral Working Group meeting held in Abuja.
The meeting marked the third senior-level engagement between both countries since November 2025, after two congressional delegations visited Nigeria in December, underscoring what both sides described as a mature and evolving strategic partnership grounded in trust, candour and shared responsibility.
Speaking at the opening session, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said Nigeria approached the engagement as a partner focused on practical outcomes, rather than a compliance exercise.
He expressed Nigeria’s appreciation for the depth and impact of US–Nigeria military and security cooperation, noting that enhanced intelligence sharing and closer coordination between US AFRICOM and Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters had delivered tangible operational gains across multiple theatres.
According to Ribadu, joint efforts under Operation Hadin Kai in the North East and Operation Fasan Yamma in the North West and North Central had strengthened counter-terrorism operations, improved target identification and disrupted terrorist and transnational criminal networks, leading to the neutralisation of hundreds of terrorists and the destruction of logistics hubs.
He also welcomed the United States’ commitment to the timely delivery of outstanding military equipment, including drones, helicopters, platforms, spare parts and associated support systems procured over the past five years, as well as support through surplus defence equipment.
At the national level, the NSA said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had taken decisive steps to confront insecurity by declaring national security emergencies in vulnerable and high-risk areas, authorising intensified joint operations and directing sustained deployment of security forces to priority locations.
Ribadu disclosed that Nigeria was strengthening early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms and developing a national database to provide accurate and verifiable data on deaths and casualties arising from violence, aimed at improving accountability, evidence-based decision-making and effective security responses.
He stressed that Nigeria remained committed to protecting all citizens, irrespective of faith, adding that violence framed along religious lines was treated as an attack on the Nigerian state itself.
The United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, said Washington was committed to broadening its partnership with Nigeria to deter violence, protect vulnerable communities and counter terrorism and insecurity.
Hooker said the partnership had already recorded progress, including enhanced law enforcement deployments, arrests and prosecutions linked to recent attacks, and the rescue of abducted Christians in several states, while urging sustained efforts to address emerging security challenges.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, said the US–Nigeria partnership had delivered measurable gains through military, intelligence and security cooperation, assuring Nigerians that ongoing efforts would continue to yield positive results.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force were intensifying investigations and prosecutions of terrorism-related cases to ensure that violence was met not only with force, but with justice and accountability.
The meeting ended with both sides reaffirming their commitment to sustained engagement, mutual respect and continued collaboration to promote peace, security and civilian protection in Nigeria