The Defence Headquarters has clarified that the withdrawal of about 200 United States military personnel from Nigeria is a routine, mission-specific adjustment and does not signal the end of security cooperation between Abuja and Washington.
Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, gave the explanation during a security briefing organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
CSONews24 reports that the United States was set to withdraw about 200 American troops from Nigeria.
Uba said the deployment of US personnel to Nigeria was tied to specific operational and counter-terrorism objectives, meaning their withdrawal should not be interpreted as a breakdown in bilateral defence relations.
According to him, Nigeria and the United States will continue to collaborate through intelligence sharing, military training, technical assistance and other forms of professional military cooperation.
“The decision to withdraw the 200 troops from Nigeria is part of the evolving nature of that engagement.” He said.
He stressed that the primary responsibility for Nigeria’s defence remains with the country’s security forces, while international partnerships are intended to strengthen their capabilities.
The military spokesman said the Nigeria-US security relationship remained strong and mutually beneficial, with both countries continuing cooperation in areas of shared security interests.
He urged the media and the public to avoid interpreting the troop drawdown as evidence of a collapse in Nigeria’s security arrangements, stressing that the adjustment was linked to the completion or changing nature of specific missions.
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