The United States Africa Command has said its military cooperation with Nigeria is firmly grounded in respect for Nigerian sovereignty and mutual interest, stressing that American forces operate in the country strictly by invitation and within an agreed bilateral framework.
AFRICOM’s Director of Public Affairs, Col Rebecca Heyse, stated this during an X Space discussion on Tuesday, titled “Strengthening Security Through Strategic Information Sharing: United States and Nigerian Military Partnership Against Terrorism.”
Heyse was unequivocal that the partnership was not an imposition.
“Our operations and cooperation with Nigeria are rooted in fundamental respect for Nigerian sovereignty. We operate strictly by invitation and under the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group framework,” she said.
Heyse said the United States remained committed to the partnership for as long as both countries considered it mutually beneficial.
“As long as there are shared security threats and the framework continues to be of value to both countries, the United States remains committed to the partnership,” she said.
The spokesperson for the defense headquarters, Maj Gen Samiala Uba, reinforced this position from the Nigerian side, making clear that it was Nigeria, not the United States, that determined the scope and duration of the collaboration.
“The cooperation is at the instance of Nigeria. The competencies, specialised capabilities and expertise the United States brings are things we require, and as long as we require them, we will continue to work together under the Joint Working Group framework,” he said.
Uba disclosed that hundreds of Nigerian military personnel were currently undergoing training in the North-East as part of the partnership, describing the benefits as significant.
