Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of Nigeria-US joint counterterrorism action, with primary objectives to assess how US intelligence support and military training have enhanced Nigerian capabilities and evaluate whether the partnership has built sustainable capacity or created external dependency. The research employed documentary methodology, analyzing official government records, military reports, and bilateral cooperation data from 2015-2023. Data analysis utilized two tables examining US assistance metrics and Nigerian operational outcomes respectively, revealing consistent increases in intelligence sharing, surveillance flights, personnel training, and equipment transfers alongside mixed operational results including territorial gains but persistent attack fluctuations and civilian casualties. Findings demonstrate that US assistance has measurably enhanced Nigerian tactical capabilities, evidenced by territory recaptured expanding from 1,200 km² to 4,350 km², yet operational effectiveness remains contingent on continued external support rather than reflecting sustainable transformation. The study concludes that current cooperation models emphasize supplementation over institutional capacity-building, creating dependency patterns whereby Nigerian counterterrorism performance correlates directly with US assistance intensity without achieving independent operational capability. Recommendations include establishing indigenous intelligence fusion centers and training academies to institutionalize externalized capabilities, prioritizing defense allocations toward maintenance and sustainment infrastructure, and developing regional collaborative frameworks reducing asymmetric external dependence while building self-sufficient counterterrorism capacity.
Keywords: Counterterrorism, Nigeria-US Relations, Boko Haram, Security Cooperation, Intelligence Sharing, Military Training
DOI: www.doi.org/10.36349/fujpam.2026.v5i01.008
author/Onjeh Innocent Owoicho, Ogbe Ojee Joseph & Adeyi Ngbede, PhD
journal/FUJPAM Vol. 5, No. 1
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
