Nigeria seeks stronger U.S. support on intelligence, counterterrorism, says Matawalle

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has called on the United States to intensify support for Nigeria in intelligence sharing, counterterrorism operations, and military capacity building, as the country grapples with evolving security threats.

Matawalle made the appeal during a meeting with Major General Garrick Harmon, Director for Strategy, Engagement, and Programs at the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), who is visiting Nigeria for the first time in his current role.

The meeting held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Ship House, Abuja.

In a statement signed by Patience Ituke on behalf of the Director of Information and Public Relations, Matawalle stressed the importance of strengthening Nigeria-U.S. defence cooperation. He urged the U.S. to broaden its support in critical areas such as intelligence collaboration, technical training, logistics, and provision of military equipment.

“Nigeria is dedicated to promoting regional peace and security; however, we cannot achieve this alone. We require more robust support from the United States, particularly in intelligence sharing and capacity building, to effectively combat terrorism, insurgency, and transnational threats”, the minister said.

In his remarks, Major General Harmon thanked Nigerian officials for their warm hospitality and reaffirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to partnering with Nigeria on regional security.

He noted that despite the short duration of his visit, the engagements had been highly productive and a testament to the strong ties between both nations.

Both sides acknowledged the mutual interest in tackling West Africa’s security challenges and agreed on the need for deeper collaboration to ensure stability in the region.