President Bola Tinubu has disclosed that Nigeria is set to receive military equipment and training support from France following a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, claiming his administration has intensified efforts to tackle worsening insecurity across the country.
Tinubu made this known on Sunday while addressing state governors at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos during the Eid-el-Fitr holidays, shortly after returning from a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
According to details of the meeting made available to newsmen, the Nigerian leader said his discussion with Macron focused on securing collaboration for military hardware and operational support.
“I can report to you, yesterday again, at a lengthy discussion with Emmanuel Macron, their collaboration with us for equipment and support,” Tinubu said.
He added that his government is exploring multiple international partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
“I’m making frantic efforts to contact other nations. If we have to spend our goodwill and line of credit, we have those who are willing to support us with equipment and training,” he said.
The President described insecurity as the next major phase of the country’s challenges, warning that it threatens national development and prosperity.
“The next phase of our struggle is staring us in the face; it is the challenge of insecurity in this country,” Tinubu stated, adding that collective action would be required to achieve “victory over tyranny.”
He stressed that discussions around military equipment acquisition also featured prominently during his recent visit to the United Kingdom.
The development comes amid renewed violence in Nigeria’s northern region, including recent bomb attacks in Maiduguri that left at least 23 people dead and over 100 injured.
In response, Tinubu had directed security chiefs to relocate to the area and approved additional operational support for counter-terrorism efforts.
Vice President Kashim Shettima had earlier visited victims of the attack receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The latest move to secure French support comes as Nigeria deepens security cooperation with the United States.
According to a recent report by Reuters, the U.S. deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones alongside about 200 military personnel to Nigeria to provide intelligence and training support to local forces battling insurgents in the northern region.
Officials from both countries said the deployment is limited to surveillance and advisory roles, with no American troops involved in frontline combat or drone strike missions.
“The U.S. military has multiple MQ-9 drones operating in Nigeria alongside 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the military,” officials told Reuters.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters confirmed the presence of U.S. personnel, noting that they are operating from an airfield in Bauchi State as part of a joint intelligence-sharing arrangement.
Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the collaboration is already delivering actionable intelligence to field commanders.
“Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities,” Uba said.
The renewed foreign partnerships underscore Nigeria’s increasing reliance on international support as security agencies confront persistent threats from extremist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, which continue to carry out deadly attacks across the region.
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