US arms NAF for terror war

The United States has delivered military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force as part of efforts to strengthen the security partnership between both countries and support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations.

The United States Africa Command disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Thursday, along with pictures of a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft delivering the equipment.

AFRICOM said the equipment was supplied under a foreign military sales agreement between the two countries.

“PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION: A U.S. Air Force C-17 delivers equipment to the Nigerian Air Force this weekend. The equipment is part of a foreign military sales agreement that furthers the U.S.-Nigerian partnership and will aid in Nigeria’s efforts to counter terrorism in the region,” the command said.

The latest delivery comes against the backdrop of continued military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, including training and capacity-building programmes.

On August 23, US forces began training Nigerian troops in unmanned aircraft systems, combat casualty care and other military skills at Operating Location Bauchi, as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.

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According to AFRICOM, the training covered combat lifesaver and tactical combat casualty care instruction, weapons familiarisation, camouflage, water treatment and testing, explosive ordnance disposal, small-unit tactics and unmanned aircraft systems.

The command said the training was developed based on the expertise available among US forces and areas identified by their Nigerian counterparts as beneficial.

It added that unmanned aircraft systems generated particular interest among Nigerian forces, with about 10 members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces Regiment receiving practical training on operating the systems.

The US personnel also trained the Nigerian troops on techniques for employing unmanned aircraft systems and incorporating information gathered by the systems into military operations.

The development followed AFRICOM’s disclosure in July that the United States had withdrawn most of its troops deployed to Nigeria for a specific counter-terrorism operation, while retaining an intelligence-sharing and security partnership with the country.

Despite the withdrawal, both countries have continued to engage in military cooperation through intelligence sharing, training and other capacity-building initiatives.