•Maj. Gen. Micheal Onoja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified that military assistance from the United States to Nigeria does not undermine the nation’s sovereignty, insisting that the partnership is legitimate and beneficial to ongoing security efforts.
Speaking yesterday, military authorities said the support from the U.S. government is strictly advisory and capacity-building in nature, with no financial burden on the federal government, reports Channels TV.
According to the DHQ, the collaboration is primarily aimed at training Nigerian troops and enhancing counter-terrorism operations across the country.
The clarification comes days after the DHQ announced the arrival of about 100 U.S. military personnel and related equipment on February 17. In an earlier statement, the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, explained that the deployment was the outcome of discussions held during a working group meeting between Nigerian officials and their U.S. counterparts.
Providing further details at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Micheal Onoja, said the partnership should not be misconstrued, describing it as a routine military-to-military engagement consistent with international cooperation in combating terrorism.
He maintained that such collaboration is common practice among nations facing security challenges and is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s operational capacity rather than compromise its independence.
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