June 04, (THEWILL) — The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening counterterrorism cooperation with Nigeria, highlighting recent joint security operations that delivered a major setback to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist network.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, disclosed this while speaking on U.S. foreign policy and international security cooperation, underscoring the ongoing collaboration between American and Nigerian security agencies in combating terrorism.
Rubio revealed that both countries recently worked together in an operation that led to the elimination of a senior global ISIS leader who had been operating from within Nigeria.
According to him, earlier concerns raised by some groups regarding violence affecting Christian communities in Nigeria have further deepened security engagement between Washington and Abuja.
“On Nigeria, where many were very concerned about violence against Christians, we are now actively in counterterrorism cooperation with the Nigerian government and Nigerian security forces”, Rubio stated.
The U.S. Secretary of State noted that the growing partnership had already begun yielding measurable results in ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks.
He explained that the collaboration included “a joint operation a couple of weeks ago that took out the number two leader of global ISIS, operating from inside the country, and that continues.”
Rubio’s remarks signal increasing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States as both countries intensify efforts to confront evolving terrorist threats across West Africa and the broader Sahel region.
Nigeria has remained at the forefront of counterterrorism operations in West Africa, particularly in its long-running battle against extremist groups linked to Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other violent networks.
The country has also consistently advocated stronger international cooperation to address terrorism, illicit arms trafficking and transnational criminal activities that continue to undermine regional security.
The latest acknowledgement from Washington comes amid renewed global attention on security challenges affecting the Lake Chad Basin, the Sahel and parts of West Africa, where extremist activities and instability have continued to pose significant threats.
The United States and Nigeria have maintained longstanding bilateral cooperation in areas including security, peacekeeping, economic development and democratic governance.
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