US Military Presence at no Cost, as Nigeria’s Sovereignty Intact– DHQ
Nigeria’s Military High Command has said military assistance from the United States to Nigeria is being executed at no cost whatsoever as the nation’s sovereignty remains intact
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Friday while briefing defence correspondence in Abuja on ongoing operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria across several theaters.
Business Africa Digest recalls that Defence Headquarters had two weeks ago confirmed the arrival of about 100 US military personnel and equipment in the country, following deliberations between Nigerian and American officials during a bilateral working group engagement.
Major General Onoja who was addressing concerns over the presence of US troops, noted that the synergy was strictly for training and capacity-building to boost Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
“The American government is interested in combating terrorism, and the assistance rendered to Nigeria comes at no cost,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria’s territorial integrity remains intact, dismissing insinuations that the deployment could compromise national sovereignty.
“Our sovereignty is intact. Our territorial integrity is intact. Nobody is giving away our sovereignty.
“There is no basis for concern. We go for training abroad all the time. This is simply a training programme,” he added.
Gen Onoja noted that the partnership had already begun to yield operational gains within the last two months, expressing optimism that more results would be recorded in the coming weeks.
He urged Nigerians to focus on the value the partnership adds to ongoing operations rather than the number of foreign personnel in the country.
Meanwhile, the
Armed Forces of Nigeria, in February 2026, deepen it’s coordinated multi-facetted operations, harnessing advanced intelligence, inter-agency collaboration, and community partnerships to dismantle threats posed by terrorists, kidnappers, and economic saboteurs across the country.
General Onoja said, “By integrating kinetic strikes with non-kinetic initiatives such as humanitarian aid, infrastructure support, and dialogue with local leaders, we are building resilient communities capable of withstanding adversarial influences”.
He said troops of Operation HADIN KAI in the North-East during the month under review neutralised scores of terrorists, arrested eighty-five (85) suspects, facilitated the surrender of forty-six (46) insurgents and their families and rescued one hundred and four (104) kidnapped victims.
He added that “significant recoveries of arms, ammunition and equipment have further eroded terrorist networks, enabling the safe return of displaced persons and revitalising local economies”.
