AFRICOM Commander Says Nigeria Army A Critical Partner To US Forces

AFRICOM Commander Says Nigeria Army A Critical Partner To US Forces

By Blogger

The Commander of United States Army Africa Command (AFRICOM), Major General Darryl Williams, has yesterday said that the command's strategy can not in anyway be effective without the partnership of the  Nigeria Army.

Williams, who spoke in a teleconference when he spoke with journalists in Abuja, averred so far the US is highly impressed with relationship it has with the Nigerian Army.

"I have been asked by my boss to develop and work with the Nigerians to look out, not just today's fight or tomorrow's fight, but look 20 years out in the future and shape, and define, and develop, and work with the Nigerian Army", said General Williams.

"And that's what we are doing right now. I have Army soldiers on the ground today working with the Nigerian Army. And it is not just a one-way street.

"We are learning as much from the Nigerian Army as they are learning from us. So we are very excited about this opportunity to partner with the Nigerian Army," he said.

Some areas of the partnership between the two countries bothers on exchange oftactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as sharing best practices with the Nigerians.

"Our relationship, our cooperation, enable and builds the capacity of the Nigerian Army, as well as ours.''

Williams explains that the partnership has brought about the ongoing  mutual training that will better the capacity of the Nigerian Army "to deal with any insurgence threats".

"We are helping in train the trainers.

"We have the total armies involved with this; the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army has been very gracious and given me active duty soldiers.

"Guard soldiers and Reserve soldiers and that combination is for me to combine and work with the Nigerian Army over time," he said.

AFRICOM is the U.S combatant command with network of relationship with the military in many of the African countries.