Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle MON, has urged the United States to intensify its support in the areas of intelligence sharing, counterterrorism, and military capability enhancement as part of ongoing efforts to combat the country’s persistent security threats.
Dr. Matawalle made the call during a meeting with Major General Garrick Harmon, Director for Strategy, Engagement, and Programs at the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), who is on his first official visit to Nigeria in his current role. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Ship House, in Abuja.
Highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to promoting peace and security in the West African region, the Minister stressed that greater international cooperation was crucial to tackling terrorism, insurgency, and transnational threats.
“Nigeria is dedicated to promoting regional peace and security; however, we cannot achieve this alone,” Matawalle said. “We require more robust support from the United States, particularly in intelligence sharing and capacity building, to effectively combat terrorism, insurgency, and transnational threats.”
In response, Major General Harmon expressed appreciation for the warm reception and reaffirmed Washington’s dedication to supporting Nigeria’s security initiatives. He described the engagements during his visit as highly productive, underscoring the importance of the longstanding defence partnership between both countries.
Both sides emphasized their shared security interests and the need for enhanced collaboration to address regional threats more effectively.
The visit is seen as a step forward in strengthening Nigeria-U.S. defence relations amid evolving global and regional security dynamics.
LV