United States General Dagvin R.M Anderson has said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is working closely with American forces to eliminate terrorists in the West African region.
Mr Anderson, the commander of Africa Command (AFRICOM), said Nigeria was a shining example among other African nations leveraging the U.S. sophisticated arsenal and “unique capabilities” in intelligence-gathering to exterminate the Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents.
The U.S. general made the statement at a digital press briefing on Tuesday when asked about AFRICOM’s counterterrorism efforts in African partner countries. He said the command wanted to expand operations in West Africa, using Nigeria as a case study.
“We’re looking at working in the west. I think a great example of that is the partnership we’ve had with Nigeria,” Mr Anderson said.
“I’d like to highlight that our partnership with Nigeria is a great example of a very willing and capable partner who requested the unique capabilities that only the U.S. can bring—with some of the ISR, some of the intelligence fusion—to bring that to bear together,” the general added.
Mr Anderson said he had a meeting with Mr Tinubu in Rome last year, during which they both agreed “to work together.”
He said the outcome of the meeting led to “increased collaboration between our nations, to include a small U.S. team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States in order to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years.”
Last month, Nigeria took delivery of heavy artillery from the U.S. government as a token of Washington’s support in the fight against terrorists.
Last year, President Donald Trumpdesignated Nigeria a country of particular concern over alleged Christian genocide and on December 25, 2025, the U.S. leader bombed major sections of Sokoto State as a symbolic “Christmas present” against Islamic extremists, he said in a statement.
Despite the airstrikes, armed groups have intensified attacks in parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly targeting vulnerable Christian communities.
