The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed concerns that the reported withdrawal of about 200 United States military personnel from Nigeria signals the collapse or termination of the security partnership between Abuja and Washington.

Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, gave the clarification on Tuesday during a security briefing organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre, following reports that the United States was planning to reduce its military presence in Nigeria.

Bank Of America VP, Erin Piacenti Killed

Uba explained that the deployment of US military personnel in Nigeria has always been tied to specific missions and operational objectives. He said changes in troop numbers should therefore be understood as mission-specific adjustments rather than an indication of deteriorating relations between the two countries.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to clarify that the reported withdrawal of about 200 United States personnel should not be interpreted as a breakdown or termination of the Nigeria-United States security partnership,” Uba said.

His comments followed a report by The New York Times that the United States was planning to withdraw troops from Nigeria. The report came after the commander of US Africa Command, General Dagvin Anderson, disclosed in July that “much of our forces” had already been withdrawn, while stressing that Washington’s security cooperation with Abuja would continue.

Uba said the Nigeria-US defence relationship remained strong, enduring and mutually beneficial, noting that the partnership extends beyond the physical presence of American troops in the country.

According to him, intelligence sharing, military training, technical assistance and information sharing would remain key components of the bilateral security cooperation.

“Our cooperation with the United States is designed to strengthen our capabilities through intelligence sharing, training, technical assistance and other forms of professional military cooperation,” he stated.

The DHQ spokesman further stressed that the primary responsibility for protecting Nigeria rests with the country’s security agencies, while international partnerships are intended to strengthen their capacity to confront terrorism, transnational crimes and other security threats.

He said the collaboration with the United States had continued to produce useful results in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and other security challenges, adding that both countries would continue to cooperate in areas of mutual security interest.

Uba also appealed to the media and members of the public not to interpret the troop reduction as evidence of weakness in Nigeria’s defence capability.

“We equally call on the media and the Nigerian public to avoid interpreting a routine or mission-specific adjustment in foreign military presence as evidence of a collapse in Nigeria’s security cooperation or national defence capability,” he said.