The visit by Nigeria's National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu
to the United States, where he held talks with Vice President JD Vance and
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has been described as a positive development
for Nigeria's fight against terrorism.
A security analyst and columnist, Jas Keita, in a statement, says that the meeting underscores the importance of the Nigerian/U. S security
relationship.
According to her, the meeting comes at an important time for Nigeria as it seeks to defeat terrorist groups that are seeking to undermine the government, destroying lives and livelihoods across the country.
The statement reads in part: "Security cooperation
between the United States and Nigeria were central to these discussions. This
comes against the backdrop of escalating terrorist activity in Nigeria. Two
weeks ago, ISIS militants killed at least 29 people in an attack in Guyaku, a
village in Adamawa state, while Boko Haram killed 11 people during a raid on a
village in Borno State. This escalation of violence and destruction poses a
serious threat to the social and economic stability of Nigeria. Nigeria must do
all it can to destroy the ability and operational capacity of groups such as
ISIS or Boko Haram to wage war against its people.
"Despite widespread commentary, driven often by foreign
actors, the United States has remained a steadfast ally to Nigeria in its
determination to destroy those groups who seek to destroy Nigeria. While some
commentators seek to criticise the government for such visits, it’s clear that
ordinary people whose lives and livelihoods are being destroyed by these
groups, want to see immediate, urgent and effective action against these
groups. Working with the United States to empower Nigerian Security forces is
the quickest and most effective way to this result.
"Of course, people will remember the 2025 Christmas day
strikes where the U.S working with Nigerian security forces undertook a series
of attacks against these terrorist groups. But that cooperation continued in
the months following the attack. In February, a team of U.S. Special Forces
personnel were deployed on the ground. Their mission was to provide direct
technical and information support to Nigerian security forces. As well as
training support, they have provided invaluable technical and strategic insight
developed over decades of providing similar support across the globe.
"This type of support cannot be underestimated. To see a
contrast, one simply needs to look at events in Mali and the failure of
Russia’s assistance to the government there. Empowering our security forces,
ensuring they have the skills and insights is a critical element to ensuring we
defeat terrorist groups.
"One of the strands of commentary after the Christmas day
strikes was if we even needed American support. Put simply, yes, we are facing
a substantial threat from these terrorist groups. They are well armed, well
organised and well financed. They are committed to destroying the legitimately
elected government and imposing their own vision on our country. They have
shown time and time again they have no interest in the welfare of our people, rather
they will kill anyone who disagrees with them or simply is in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
"Nigeria is facing an existential threat from these
terrorist groups. They do not care about our way of life or the welfare of our
people. Nigeria cannot become prosperous unless it rids itself of these
terrorist organisations. The ongoing security crisis creates an environment of
instability and fear that means our people cannot expect to thrive. Nigeria has
a prosperous economic future ahead and can create a brighter future for all its
people, but this cannot happen without a stable and secure foundation.
Defeating these groups not only protects the lives of our families but allows
Nigeria to build a brighter economic future for all.
"That is why these talks in Washington are so vital. Our
country has a strong and committed ally in the United States. Despite what
other foreign actors say, they have shown time and time again their willingness
to expend resources to support our fight against terrorism. Strengthening
and deepening this relationship must be a key strategic priority for our
government and we must ensure it endures. Doing so, will ensure our own people
have the skills, insights and resources to defeat these groups. Doing so, will
provide the stability that will underpin our future economic and social
growth."
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