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Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and banditry got a boost recently when the United States government delivered essential military equipment to the country. The gesture demonstrates the US commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and other security threats. In the last few years, Nigeria has consistently been threatened by insecurity majorly caused by non-state actors and terrorists who kill innocent people or kidnap them for ransom. The scourge has persisted in the current era.
The delivery of the military equipment was confirmed recently by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). The supplies were formally handed over to Nigerian military authorities in Abuja. The recent development underscores the security cooperation between Nigeria and the US as both countries continue to partner and collaborate to fight insecurity in many parts of Nigeria. The US is poised to combat insecurity in Nigeria. It was reported that on December 25, the US military forces along with Nigerian military bombed terrorist enclaves in some parts of northern Nigeria, killing many terrorists in the operation.
Since the US indicated interest in combating the activities of terrorists and bandits in Nigeria, there has been a reduction in cases of killings and kidnappings across the country. The Nigerian government has expressed its gratitude to the US, and the kind gesture has been applauded across the country.
The US intervention followed Nigeria’s numerous appeals in the past, especially in November 2025, asking for deeper military assistance in combating terrorism and banditry in the country. President Bola Tinubu had requested military assistance after the US President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). Trump had initially raised concerns about the coordinated and systematic killing of Christians in Nigeria and warned that he would not hesitate to intervene if the killings continued. The Nigerian government had responded to the charge by claiming that Christians were not the only ones killed in Nigeria. The government cited examples where mosques were bombed and many Muslims killed.
What appeared to be a stand-off between the US and Nigeria eventually culminated in collaboration in the fight against insurgency and terrorism. The collaboration between the two countries includes intelligence sharing, strategic coordination and other forms of support conducted in line with international laws, respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and shared security commitments. According to international security laws, it is normal for countries to collaborate in security and other matters of mutual interest.
The US supply of military equipment in Nigeria is a welcome development. The federal government should ensure that the equipment is properly deployed where it is needed. It is also important to embark on a rigorous man-power training of military officers to operate the equipment. Nigeria must seize this opportunity to end all forms of insecurity in the country. Although the North-East region is the major flashpoint of insecurity, there are also other parts of the country where insecurity thrives unhindered. Every part of the country besieged by insecurity should benefit from the supply of military equipment from the US.
The effect of insecurity in Nigeria over the years has been enormous. Farmers are no longer free to visit their farms and this has led to food scarcity and insufficiency. Many schools in the northern part of the country have been shut down for fear of losing school children to kidnappers. Also, many churches, mosques and other places of worship have been closed down. We have lost gallant security men to the war as well.
Therefore, the US critical military assets must be judiciously utilized to decimate the terrorists and bandits. Let those sabotaging the efforts of our troops be decisively dealt with. One of the complaints by military officers fighting the war is that the terrorists hold sophisticated weapons. Now that we have high caliber weapons, there will be no excuses any longer. President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd) must ensure that the military equipment supplied by the US is properly assigned to the designated quarters. We believe that this is the time to end the nation’s security challenges. They will not be allowed to fester indefinitely. However, the federal government should not hesitate to receive military assistance from other friendly countries.
