The United States and Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to defeating insurgency in West Africa following a high-level military summit in Borno State.
The Commander of the United States Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA), Major General Claude Tudor, led a delegation to the Theatre Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (JTF) North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri on Thursday.
The high-profile visit aimed to strengthen existing mutual security cooperation and evaluate strategies for combating the ongoing insurgency in the region.
During the engagement, Major General Tudor lauded the robust cooperation between the two nations, highlighting the seamless integration of American forces into local counter-terrorism frameworks.
“The integration of United States Special Operations in OPHK serves as a model for effective military partnership,” Tudor said. “Sustained cooperation, mutual trust, and a shared commitment remain absolutely critical to achieving lasting peace and restoring normalcy in the North East and other affected regions.”
The SOCAFRICA Commander acknowledged the tactical progress made by OPHK in neutralising terrorist threats, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to directly assess ongoing frontline operations. He emphasised that Washington remains steadfast in its backing of Nigeria’s defence forces through enhanced collaboration in military strategy and operations.
Responding to the delegation, the Theatre Commander of OPHK, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, expressed profound gratitude to the U.S. government and SOCAFRICA for their enduring support.
“Our collaboration with SOCAFRICA has significantly strengthened our operational effectiveness, particularly through both kinetic and non-kinetic operations,” Abubakar stated.
The Theatre Commander also noted that as the conflict evolves, advanced resources will be crucial to sustaining the momentum against insurgent groups.
“We look forward to the introduction of additional capabilities, including enhanced technological support, to further optimise our strategy,” Abubakar added.
The meeting concluded with both military leaders pledging to deepen the Nigeria–United States security alliance. Moving forward, both nations plan to confront emerging security challenges through highly coordinated and strategic efforts, with a renewed focus on: strengthening localised military capacity, dismantling regional terrorist networks and promoting long-term regional stability and humanitarian recovery.
