The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), met with Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Kayode Are, at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., to discuss strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and modernizing the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The strategic meeting, held on Monday, August 17, 2026, focused on expanding joint counter-terrorism initiatives and enhancing regional security operations.
During the engagement, General Musa highlighted Nigeria’s broader approach to international security cooperation, emphasizing that the country continues to diversify its defence partnerships while sustaining core traditional alliances. He noted the strategic importance of U.S. military technology—particularly satellite intelligence and advanced uncrewed aerial systems—in supporting active security operations, assuring that all bilateral engagements fully respect Nigeria’s national sovereignty.
Ambassador Are commended the security sector reforms being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and reaffirmed the embassy’s readiness to support diplomatic efforts aimed at securing equipment, technical training, and intelligence-sharing arrangements for the military.
The two officials also reviewed security developments in the Sahel region, stressing the necessity of strong, coordinated regional frameworks to address emerging extremist threats.
Following the meeting, General Musa visited the embassy’s Defence Section, where he was received by Defence Attaché Air Commodore Valentine Oreaki and diplomatic staff. The minister commended the officers for their service and urged them to maintain high standards of professionalism and discipline.
The embassy visit concluded a weeklong series of official engagements in Washington, D.C., by a high-level Federal Government delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
