A former member of the House of Representatives, Oghene Egoh, has thrown his weight behind growing military collaboration between Nigeria and the United States, describing it as a strategic move to address Nigeria’s deepening insecurity crisis.
Egoh, who represented Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, made the remarks during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Tuesday.
Nigeria–US Military Partnership a “Step in the Right Direction”
The former lawmaker said welcoming US military support is “a step in the right direction,” stressing that Nigeria’s security challenges require urgent, coordinated and strategic international backing.
According to him, prolonged insecurity — spanning over four decades — has evolved into a complex national crisis confronting successive administrations. He noted that undue political interference within military operations has sometimes weakened the effectiveness of security responses.
Egoh argued that enhanced Nigeria-US defence cooperation would significantly improve operational efficiency, intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism strategies.
“The Federal Government’s decision to welcome military support from the United States is a positive development aimed at decisively confronting insecurity in Nigeria,” he said.
Rising Threats Across Regions
Egoh highlighted the expanding activities of bandits, terrorists and militant groups, warning that violence has spread across the South-South and South-East, with gradual infiltration into parts of the South-West.
He lamented the daily loss of lives to criminal elements and called for urgent, result-oriented intervention to restore lasting peace.
Key Security Benefits of US Military Aid
He outlined several potential gains from US military collaboration, including:
Advanced surveillance and defence technology
Intelligence-sharing mechanisms
Specialised counter-terrorism training
Improved operational coordination
Enhanced logistics and tactical support
Egoh maintained that such partnership could strengthen Nigeria’s ability to combat evolving threats, including insurgency, banditry and transnational crimes.
Sovereignty and Legal Framework Must Be Respected
While endorsing foreign military assistance, Egoh cautioned that any engagement must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and operate within clearly defined legal and operational frameworks.
He urged the Federal Government to complement international support with internal reforms, such as:
Improved welfare packages for security personnel
Procurement of modern equipment
Strengthened community policing strategies
Greater accountability within security institutions
According to him, sustainable peace will require both international cooperation and domestic restructuring.
US Troops Arrive in Bauchi
The call for stronger Nigeria-US military cooperation follows confirmation by the Defence Headquarters that about 100 US military personnel and associated equipment recently arrived in the country.
The military high command disclosed that the troops landed at the Bauchi Airfield after deliberations during a bilateral working group engagement between Nigerian and US defence delegations.
Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, confirmed that the deployment aligns with ongoing security collaboration efforts between both nations.
Nigeria’s Insecurity: A Call for Strategic Global Support
As insecurity continues to challenge national stability, Egoh insists that structured international military partnerships — combined with internal reforms — could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, banditry and organized crime.
With US military aid now underway, stakeholders are closely watching how the collaboration will translate into tangible security improvements across the country.
