By Bavoriat Clara
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel and associated equipment at Bauchi Airfield as part of ongoing Nigeria–United States defence cooperation.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the deployment followed deliberations reached during a working group engagement between a Nigerian delegation and its US counterpart. He explained that the development is planned and deliberate, coming after a formal request by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the US Government for support in specific areas of military training, technical assistance and intelligence sharing for members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
According to the DHQ, the collaboration is expected to provide access to specialised technical capabilities aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s ability to deter terrorist threats and enhance the protection of vulnerable communities across the country.
The statement clarified that the US personnel are technical specialists serving strictly in advisory and training capacities and are not combat forces. It further noted that all training activities will be conducted under the authority, direction and control of the Nigerian Government, in close coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Nigerian troops, alongside the US advisers, are expected to commence a series of joint training engagements and intelligence-focused cooperation initiatives designed to improve their capacity to effectively identify and neutralise extremist groups seeking to destabilise the nation.
The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to degrading and defeating terrorist organisations threatening the country’s sovereignty and assured Nigerians of continued transparency and timely updates on the military cooperation efforts.
admin