Worried by rising insecurity across the country and acceding to calls for international collaboration, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday sought the assistance of the United States government to contain the problem.
During a virtual meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken, Buhari urged for the U.S. government to consider relocating its Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Stuttgart, Germany, to Africa, nearer the Theatre of Operation. He requested the international community to support Nigeria and the sub-region in tackling growing security challenges to avoid spillovers.
Buhari said: “The security challenges in Nigeria remain of great concern to us and impacted more negatively, by existing complex negative pressures in the Sahel, Central, and West Africa, as well as the Lake Chad Region.
“Compounded as the situation remains, Nigeria and her security forces remain resolutely committed to containing them and addressing their root causes. The support of important and strategic partners like the United States cannot be overstated as the consequences of insecurity will affect all nations hence the imperative for concerted cooperation and collaboration of all nations to overcome these challenges.”
“In this connection, and considering the growing security challenges in West and Central Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Lake Chad region and the Sahel, weighing heavily on Africa, it underscores the need for the United States to consider re-locating AFRICOM headquarters from Stuttgart, Germany to Africa and near the Theatre of Operation.”