DHQ: US Counterterrorism Support Comes at No Cost, Sovereignty Intact
The Defence Headquarters has declared that United States counterterrorism support to Nigeria comes at no financial cost and does not in any way compromise the country’s sovereignty.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, made the clarification on Friday during the monthly operational briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, amid concerns over foreign military cooperation.
Responding to questions from journalists on the presence of US personnel in Nigeria, Onoja stressed that the American team was in the country strictly to provide training support.
“They are only coming to offer us training,” he said. “If I told you that there is no cost, would you accept it? There is no cost. The American government is interested in combating terrorism and they are giving Nigeria assistance at no cost.”
He dismissed insinuations that the engagement could undermine Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
“Our sovereignty is intact, our territorial integrity is intact. Nobody is giving away our sovereignty. If that is your fear, convey that to the public,” the General stated firmly.
Onoja explained that Nigeria routinely engages in international military training collaborations and that the current cooperation with the US should be viewed within that professional framework.
He added that the training support was already adding value to ongoing operations, particularly in areas facing heightened terrorist activities.
According to him, increased operational pressure on insurgent groups has forced them to shift tactics and target soft locations in a bid to generate panic and media attention.
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“I can tell you confidently and with all assurances that it is not a case of resurgence or infiltration of terrorists. Significant work and decimation of terrorists is ongoing,” he said.
He noted that terrorists often rely on publicity to magnify their impact, urging media to report security incidents responsibly and from a national interest perspective.
“Terrorists need the oxygen of broadcasting their activities. We are not saying they should not be reported. However, we should be more modest in reporting some of their activities so that they will not achieve what they want to achieve, which is to cause panic within the society,” he cautioned.
The Defence spokesman further assured Nigerians that results from intensified operations would become evident in the coming days, particularly in affected areas.
On the broader security landscape, Onoja said the military had developed robust infrastructure to tackle kidnapping and terrorism, including the National Counter Terrorism Centre and dedicated special operations forces along major corridors such as the Kaduna–Abuja axis.
He called on citizens to support security agencies with timely intelligence.
“Everybody knows the people that are doing kidnapping, but for some reason, people do not report. That’s why we are urging Nigerians — anything you see, you talk,” he said.
The DHQ’s position comes amid heightened scrutiny of foreign military cooperation and ongoing counterterrorism efforts across various theatres of operation.
Onoja maintained that the Armed Forces remain fully aligned with federal government policy and committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity while leveraging strategic partnerships to enhance operational effectiveness.
By PRNigeria
