The Defence Headquarters has said that military training, intelligence sharing and operational support provided to Nigeria by the United States come at no financial cost, describing the arrangement as part of Washington’s global counterterrorism policy.
Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, made the disclosure on Friday, February 27, while briefing journalists on military operations conducted against terrorists and criminal elements in February 2026. According to him, the support is channelled through the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) under a strategic partnership designed to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
“The presence of US troops in Nigeria is about partnership. They are here to assist the Nigerian military with training, intelligence, and other needed support,” Onoja said. “It is the policy of the United States to fight terrorism globally. So their presence in Nigeria is at no cost. The training assistance is at no cost. The US government is only interested in combating terrorism.”
Addressing concerns over renewed attacks and kidnappings in Adamawa State and parts of the North-West, Onoja dismissed suggestions of fresh terrorist infiltration, attributing the incidents to fighters fleeing sustained military pressure.
“It is not a fresh infiltration of terrorists in those areas. The truth is that with the US support we are getting and the pressure from our troops’ offensives, the terrorists are fleeing to new places and trying to show relevance,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that operations were being intensified. “I assure you that attacks on the terrorists are being carried out by troops and the decimation of their activities is ongoing. At the end of the day, these terrorists will get tired, and we will smoke them out wherever they are,” he said.
“Though we sympathise with those who have lost loved ones in the hands of these terrorists, we are closing in on them. We are on top of the situation.
On reports of some state governments entering into peace deals with armed groups, Onoja noted that while Nigeria operates a federal system, such agreements must not exclude national security authorities. “Nigeria is a federation, and state governments, as federating units, have the right to enter into any agreement they wish. But they cannot do that without the knowledge of the National Security Adviser,” he said.
The Defence Headquarters also acknowledged public concerns about some repentant militants who passed through the Operation Safe Corridor deradicalisation programme. Onoja said authorities were reviewing the initiative in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, adding that officials were aware of Nigerians’ concerns and were taking steps to address them.