He made this appeal during a meeting with Major-General Garrick Harmon, the Director for Strategy, Engagement, and Programs of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), who visited the minister at Ship House in Abuja.
Matawalle emphasised the significance of “strengthening bilateral defence relations and urged the United States to expand its assistance in critical areas, including intelligence cooperation, technical training, logistics, and equipment support”.
A statement signed.by Patience Ituke for the Director Information and Public Relations in the ministry stated that “Nigeria is dedicated to promoting regional peace and security; however, we cannot achieve this alone,” he stated.
“We require more robust support from the United States, particularly in intelligence sharing and capacity building, to effectively combat terrorism, insurgency, and transnational threats,” he emphasised.
In response, General Harmon reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to “supporting Nigeria’s efforts in enhancing security and stability across West Africa” saying that despite the brief duration of his visit, the engagements in Nigeria have been “highly productive”.
He also highlighted the strength of the existing partnership between the two nations.
The Minister and his guest acknowledged their shared interests and agreed on the “necessity for deeper collaboration in addressing the security challenges facing the region”.
