On Friday, a senior US official said in Abuja that the United States has pledged $200 million to counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel and other parts of the West Africa sub-region since 2018.
The United States is a “premier partner” of Nigeria, notably in civilian security, according to Gregory LoGerfo, the Deputy Coordinator for the Bureau of Counterterrorism Handling Regional and Multilateral Affairs, who led a delegation of US counterterrorism experts visiting Nigeria.
He explained that the Nigerian government seeks advice from the United States on all of the country’s security concerns, from oil smuggling and secessionist movements to armed robberies and armed gangs.
“We want to make sure that our partnership helps each country address the specific challenges and security situations that they face.”
According to jerrymusa.com He mentioned border security, rule of law, aviation security, and drug trafficking as areas of cooperation with the various Nigerian government agencies.
“Our goal here is to emphasise the importance of our partnership in moving forward together in our shared security challenges,” LoGerfo said, adding, “We are focused on what we do together in our shared security interests.”
According to him, “We want to make sure that good governance and economic empowerment are delivered to the citizens of the continent and the Nigerian people.”
The United States is assisting Nigeria in its fight against terrorist financing, money laundering, and other forms of corruption, according to Eric Meyer, the United States’ Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa and the Middle East.
He stated, “We are partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Ministry of Finance, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit on how to safeguard Nigeria’s financial system and make sure it is not being used and cannot be used by illicit actors to support terrorism.”
“Nigeria’s banking services system is robust and is very essential for the country’s economy and the region. It also has significant ties to the United States’ financial system. There is a thriving financial technology industry in Nigeria, and we must ensure its continued security.
U.S. efforts to combat drug trafficking and enhance security surveillance in Nigeria were also highlighted by David Galbraith, acting deputy assistant secretary in the INL Bureau of the State Department.
“We have a number of partnerships with the Nigerian criminal justice system,” he stated. “This includes the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian High Courts, the Nigerian Magistrate Courts, and the Nigerian Correctional Services.”
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency are partners in these efforts, he said.
In an effort to ensure that justice is administered promptly to everybody, the Bureau funds the Nigeria Police Complaint Response Unit, several virtual courtrooms, and technologies to track inmates at the correctional institutions.
The relationship between the United States and Nigeria in the fight against terrorism is crucial. Nigeria, with its massive population and growing economy, is one of Africa’s most important nations.
It also plays an important role in ensuring peace in the region. To better secure its citizens and its interests, Nigeria will benefit from the United States’ backing of its counterterrorism efforts.
A number of other counterterrorism initiatives, such as training and equipping Nigerian security forces, sharing intelligence and information, supporting efforts to combat radicalization and recruitment, and promoting economic development and good governance, have been mentioned by US officials as areas of cooperation between the two countries.
In the Sahel region, the United States is collaborating with other countries to fight terrorism and extremism. The United States is engaged in the region through the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and by providing bilateral aid to nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.