US Military Chief Identifies Terrorist Financing As Major Challenge In Nigeria’s Security Fight | Sahara Reporters
Anderson also described the broader security partnership between Nigeria and the United States as strong, noting that both countries bring different but complementary capabilities to counterterrorism operations.
The Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, has identified terrorist financing as a major challenge in Nigeria’s fight against insecurity, stressing the need for stronger intelligence-sharing and cooperation to disrupt the financial networks sustaining armed groups.
Anderson said the United States could contribute its global intelligence capabilities and cyber expertise, while Nigeria could provide local knowledge of financial networks and money-laundering methods used by criminal and terrorist organisations.
According to THISDAY, which interviewed Anderson on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in Lagos, the AFRICOM commander highlighted terrorist financing as one of the critical security issues requiring cooperation between both countries.
He said combining US capabilities with Nigeria’s understanding of local conditions could strengthen efforts to identify and disrupt the networks that finance terrorism.
Anderson also described the broader security partnership between Nigeria and the United States as strong, noting that both countries bring different but complementary capabilities to counterterrorism operations.
“Some of it is intelligence, but also understanding of the terrorist network globally. And so Nigeria brings the regional and local understanding, while we bring the global network understanding, and together that becomes very powerful,” he said.
He said the United States had provided Nigerian forces with training in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as targeting, and would continue to consider requests for specialised training.
The AFRICOM commander also commended cooperation between the Nigerian Armed Forces, intelligence agencies and the United States, particularly in operations targeting Islamic State (ISIS) networks.
He said a joint operation conducted in May in Borno State, within the Lake Chad Basin, was aimed at disrupting terrorist movements. Anderson also reported that ISIS defections in Nigeria had increased by more than 200 per cent since the operation.
However, he cautioned that military assistance alone would not resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, including terrorism and kidnapping.
“Ultimately, for the terrorism and insecurity, it needs to be an investment in governance, an investment in development,” he said.
According to Anderson, sustained investment in education, governance and economic opportunities is necessary to address conditions that may push young people towards terrorism and other criminal activities.
He said providing viable alternatives for young people was essential to long-term security, particularly given Africa’s growing youth population.
On maritime security, Anderson said the United States had supported maritime operations centres, radar systems and emerging technologies to improve monitoring of the Gulf of Guinea and other West African waters.
He identified piracy, smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal fishing as major maritime security concerns but said he could not confirm plans for additional vessel acquisitions.
Anderson also addressed security cooperation with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and established the Alliance of Sahel States with one another.
He said the United States was seeking to reopen dialogue with the three countries to strengthen cooperation against shared security threats.
According to Anderson, renewed engagement could facilitate intelligence-sharing and military training, although communication channels would first need to be re-established.
He said AFRICOM would continue to focus its resources on priority threats and capable partners while encouraging African countries to invest in local development and economic opportunities as part of efforts to address insecurity.