Insecurity: Senate reacts to U.S.– Nigeria military cooperation

By Naomi Sharang

The Senate has said the continued military collaboration between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against terrorism has reinforced the country’s national security efforts

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, gave the commendation on Tuesday in his address of welcome at the first plenary sitting in 2026 after the Christmas and New Year Recess.

Recall that the United States with the cooperation of the Nigerian government had on Christmas Day conducted airstrikes against suspected Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoto State.

Also, a plenary session of the Nigeria – United States Joint Working Group was held in Abuja last week as part of sustained efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security partnerships and deliver tangible results for citizens.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris had said the engagement, the third high-level engagement with senior U.S. officials since November 2025 It showed that Nigeria’s partnership with the U.S is active, serious, and focused on outcomes that matter to Nigerians.

“This bilateral partnership reflects not only our shared commitment to religious freedom and civilian protection, but also a mature strategic relationship grounded in trust, candour, and shared responsibility.Cooperation between Nigeria and the U.S. has led to real operational gains.

He added that the U.S. had committed to the timely delivery of outstanding military equipment, including drones, helicopters, platforms, spare parts, and support systems procured over the past five years.

While the Senate was on recess during the Christmas Day bombing and recent engagements with the US, Akpabio speaking after resumption of the upper chamber affirmed that Nigeria stands with allies in confronting forces threatening peace and stability.

“At the same time, the senate extends its deepest sympathies to the families who have lost sons and daughters to insecurity across our country.

“Their grief reminds us that security is not an abstract concept—it is about lives, homes and futures that must be protected,” he said.

The senate president noted that between the time the National Assembly went on recess and now, Nigeria had continued its steady march—through economic pressures, security challenges, social demands and the quiet resilience of the people.

“Nigerians have endured, adapted and persevered. They have not been silent; they have spoken through enterprise and an abiding belief that tomorrow can be better than today.

“Above all, they continue to call for leadership that listens, reforms that work and a future that rewards effort, integrity and honest labour.

“Their expectations have not diminished; they have grown more urgent. As we return, we are mindful that events did not pause in our absence—and neither must our sense of duty,” he said.

Akpabio urged his colleagues to respond with urgency to the warning by the United Nations that as many as 35 million Nigerians might face hunger this year.

“This sobering reality demands a doubling of effort—through legislation, oversight and collaboration—to strengthen food security, protect the vulnerable and ensure that no Nigerian is abandoned to despair,” he stated.(NAN)