US steps up security cooperation with Nigeria
The United States military has stepped up the delivery of equipment and intelligence support to Nigeria as part of broader efforts to assist African forces in tackling Islamic State-linked insurgents, according to the deputy commander of US Africa Command.
Lieutenant General John Brennan said the Pentagon is also keeping open lines of communication with the militaries of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, despite the political challenges posed by military-led governments in those countries. He explained that the intensified cooperation with Nigeria follows sustained diplomatic engagement over the nation’s ongoing jihadist security challenges, as well as a broader shift in Washington’s strategy toward more aggressive action against extremist networks across the continent.
“Under the Trump administration, we’ve become much more aggressive and are working closely with partners to kinetically target the main threat, which is ISIS,” Brennan said during an interview on the sidelines of a US–Nigeria security meeting in Abuja last week. He added that extremist networks in Africa are highly interconnected, noting that what happens in one region often affects security in others. “From Somalia to Nigeria, the problem set is connected. We are working to dismantle these networks and provide partners with the intelligence they need,” he said.
Brennan also highlighted that the US is focusing on empowering its African partners by reducing operational restrictions, supplying vital equipment, and enhancing capabilities to improve their effectiveness in counterterrorism operations. These steps, he explained, are designed to give local forces the tools and information they need to respond swiftly and decisively to threats.
The comments came shortly after the first-ever US–Nigeria Joint Working Group meeting, a platform aimed at fostering closer collaboration on intelligence-sharing and security operations. The meeting followed a series of US airstrikes on Christmas Day last year targeting IS-linked positions in northwest Nigeria, reflecting Washington’s more assertive approach to counterterrorism on the continent.
Brennan’s remarks underscore the growing US commitment to working alongside African partners to stabilize regions affected by extremist violence, while ensuring that local militaries are better equipped and informed to confront these persistent threats.
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