The Nigerian military says the planned withdrawal of United States troops from Nigeria does not signal a breakdown of bilateral security cooperation between both countries.
Samaila Uba, the spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, spoke on Tuesday while responding to questions from journalists at a security briefing organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
The military spokesperson said he had received numerous inquiries from journalists seeking clarification on the matter. He noted that he had already prepared a statement and would use the opportunity provided by the forum to deliver it.
The New York Times reported the planned withdrawal last week. However, in July, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson, stated that “much of our forces” have been “withdrawn.”
“They are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary,” Mr Anderson added.
