U.S. military assistance comes at no cost, Nigeria’s sovereignty intact – DHQ
Major General Michael Onoja
…explains why troops supervised states’ peace deal
The Defence Headquarters said that military assistance provided by the United States government to Nigeria is at “no cost” and does not undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said this during a press briefing on ongoing military operations in Abuja on Friday.
On February 17, the DHQ confirmed the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel and associated equipment, noting that the deployment followed deliberations during a working group engagement between a Nigerian delegation and its United States counterpart
Onoja said the support from the U.S is focused on training Nigerian troops and strengthening ongoing counter-terrorism efforts, stressing that the collaboration should not be viewed as abnormal.
“The American government is interested in combating terrorism, and the assistance rendered to Nigeria comes at no cost,” he said.
The Defence spokesperson maintained that Nigeria’s territorial integrity and national security remain intact, adding that no aspect of the country’s sovereignty has been compromised. He explained that U.S. personnel in the country are primarily engaged in training programmes, similar to arrangements where Nigerian officers travel abroad for training.
According to him, the cooperation in the last two months has already yielded positive outcomes, with more results expected in the coming days.
“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 said.
Onoja urged the public to focus on the value the partnership adds to Nigeria’s operations rather than the number of foreign personnel involved.
He assured that the military leadership, including theatre commanders and chief security officers in affected areas, remain on top of the security situation and are taking necessary steps to prevent further attacks.
Onoja called on the media to report security developments responsibly, noting that excessive publicity of terrorist activities could serve the interests of insurgents by spreading panic.
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Acknowledging concerns raised by members of the public over the Federal Government’s de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programme for surrendered insurgents, Onoja said the programme is currently under review as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s counter-insurgency strategy programme.
Onoja noted that while the initiative recorded significant success at inception, challenges emerged over time.
Read Also: DHQ confirms deployment of U.S. troops under bilateral agreement
He said, “Operation Safe Corridor, as you all know, was the Defence Headquarters’ policy in conjunction with the Borno State Government and relevant federal ministries to find a way to de-radicalise some of the elements who surrendered.
“For a period of time, that system achieved some significant success. As with everything, any human activity has some challenges. We do not deny that there are challenges, and we also acknowledge the need for a review.
“In the laws of war, at the end of the day, the Boko Haram fighters are still considered Nigerians. They may have erred, and they will definitely account for whatever they have done. But if we have the opportunity to rehabilitate them, are we saying we should not?
“We are also as concerned as you and other members of the public. We have heard a lot of things the public is saying. I can assure you that the review will be done and you will hear our new operational directives for Operation Safe Corridor.”
Onoja also addressed concerns over state-level peace initiatives, noting that while governors have powers to adopt security measures within their states, such actions must align with federal directives.
“Some states have the rights and the powers to take every action that will secure their states. However, I can tell you confidently that they will not be able to do that without the authorization of the Office of the National Security Adviser,” he said.
Onoja maintained that the military will always be in line with the Federal government policies.
“For us in the Armed Forces of Nigeria, we are in line with any federal government policy. And I’m sure that’s why you saw our troops also supervising those peace deals.
“So if the governor of a state has decided that that’s what he wants to do, of course, based on his own assessment of the security situation in the state, we will always support him. We don’t have any argument against it,” he said.
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