Category: Security

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has addressed recent media reports and public speculation suggesting the presence or deployment of United States troops in Nigeria. The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) emphasized that Nigeria maintained a long-standing security partnership with the United States, focused on capacity building, professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support, and strategic dialogue. The DHQ stressed that all cooperation is conducted with full respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and within existing bilateral frameworks. According to a release signed by Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, a recent…

The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has strengthened its humanitarian and security partnerships with the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UN DSS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to improve peace, stability, and humanitarian access in the North East region. The development followed high-level visits to the OPHK headquarters in Borno State by delegations from both organisations, aimed at deepening civil–military cooperation and ensuring the safe delivery of aid to vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities. Leading the UN DSS delegation was…

Participants of the 55th Pakistan Navy Staff Course, on Wednesday, 4 February 2026, paid a study visit to the Headquarters Western Naval Command, Apapa, Lagos, as part of efforts to strengthen professional ties and maritime cooperation with the Nigerian Navy. The delegation was led by Commodore Mohammed Zahid Zaheer and accompanied by the Pakistan Defence Attaché, Colonel Kamran Mushtaq. They were received by senior officers of the Command and introduced to the operational framework of the Nigerian Navy in the western maritime domain. During the visit, the participants were briefed…

The Nigerian Navy has been ranked the strongest naval force in Africa and 22nd globally, according to the 2026 Global Firepower (GFP) report. The ranking assessed conventional war-fighting capabilities across land, sea, and air. Nigeria’s maritime domain stretched along an 853 km coastline in the Gulf of Guinea, sharing boundaries with Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, and Sao Tome and Principe, and covers its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending 220 nautical miles offshore. The Nigerian fleet consists of 152 vessels, including 132 patrol boats, two mine warfare ships, and one…

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, on Wednesday received Mr. Thamer Al-Emadi, Regional Manager West Africa of Qatar’s BARZAN Holding, at Naval Headquarters, Abuja. The visit follows engagements during the Doha International Maritime Exhibition (DIMEX) and focused on exploring collaborative initiatives in maritime defence technology and capacity building. Vice Admiral Ogalla welcomed the delegation, directed the Nigerian Navy to assess areas where BARZAN Holding’s expertise could strengthen operational effectiveness and enhance long-term maritime capabilities. The meeting highlighted the Navy’s commitment to forging strategic international…

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Wednesday received the French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Useo, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja, as both countries moved to deepen defence collaboration aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s security capabilities. Lieutenant General Shaibu commended France for its ongoing support to the Nigerian Army, particularly in intelligence sharing, professional military training, and operational readiness. He emphasized that sustained bilateral partnerships are crucial in addressing security challenges across the region. “The Nigerian Army is committed to continuous professional development and…

The Nigerian Army has unveiled a dynamic, intelligence-driven and technology-enabled strategy to tackle evolving security challenges across the country, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, announced on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. Speaking to participants of Course 34 at the National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria, during a strategic lecture titled “Combating Asymmetric Threats to National Security in Nigeria: The Nigerian Army in Perspective,” Lieutenant General Shaibu highlighted the shift from traditional state-centered conflicts to complex intra-state threats posed by terrorists, insurgents, bandits, cybercriminals and transnational crime networks.…

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Lagos, to improve personnel welfare and prepare troops for life after service. Shaibu gave the assurance on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, during a high-level meeting with the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. He emphasised the need to remove operational challenges hindering effective skills acquisition and post-service transition, stressed that welfare support must…

Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have recorded a major operational breakthrough with the destruction of three notorious ISWAP terrorist detention facilities deep within the Timbuktu Triangle forest in Gujba Local Government Area. Confirming the development, the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the operation was carried out under Operation DESERT SANITY V after weeks of sustained offensive actions and intelligence-led manoeuvres that forced terrorist elements to abandon key strongholds. He noted that the development mark a significant advance…

The Niger State Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Hon. Obed Nuhu Nana, has called for stronger collaboration and a unified approach to security communication across the state, stressing that insecurity remains a major concern to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. The Commissioner made this known while receiving a delegation of the Forum of Security Spokespersons in Niger State (FOSSAN) during a courtesy visit to his office. Hon. Nana emphasized that effective, coordinated, and responsible information management is critical to peace, public confidence, and stability in the state. He warned that unverified…