Emmanuel Daudu
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, H.E. Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has urged the United States to increase its support in intelligence sharing, counterterrorism operations, and military capacity building to help address Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
This call was made during a strategic meeting held in Abuja 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 engagement took place at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Ship House.
According to Patience Ituke, speaking on behalf of the Director of Information and Public Relations, the Minister emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, noting that Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace and security requires enhanced external support.
“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 his response, Major General Harmon thanked the Minister for the warm reception and reaffirmed the United States’ readiness to bolster Nigeria’s security efforts.
He acknowledged that, though his visit was brief, the interactions were impactful and demonstrated the strong and evolving defence partnership between both countries.
Both parties agreed on the urgent need for deeper collaboration in addressing the region’s complex security landscape, reaffirming their commitment to a safer and more stable West Africa.
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