The commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson, says the number of Islamic State (ISIS) members defecting in Nigeria has increased by more than 200 per cent since a joint military operation by Nigerian and US forces in May.
According to THISDAY, Anderson made the disclosure on Monday on the sidelines of the Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in Lagos.
He attributed the rise in defections to the impact of the operation targeting a senior ISIS figure, alongside subsequent military operations by Nigerian forces.
Anderson said the US continued to work with Nigerian security agencies by providing intelligence, specialised capabilities and training.
“The partnership with the Nigerian Armed Forces and Nigerian intelligence was exceptional, and that’s what really enabled that partnership to happen and to take out the number two terrorist in the world for ISIS,” Anderson said.
“Some of it is intelligence, but also understanding of the terrorist network globally. And so Nigeria brings the regional and local understanding, while we bring the global network understanding, and together that becomes very powerful.”
He stressed that military assistance alone would not resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, including terrorism and kidnapping, noting that investment in governance and development was also essential.
On the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Anderson said the US was working to reopen dialogue with the three countries to strengthen security cooperation.
He also identified terrorist financing, piracy, smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal fishing as major security threats.
According to Anderson, the increase in ISIS defections, alongside a decline in attacks and violence, suggests progress in efforts to tackle insecurity. He also praised Nigeria’s programme for reintegrating defectors into society.
“How do you take the growing youth population and channel that energy for a positive effort? And to me, that’s what we all need to work on, but it has to be done locally,” he said.
In May, Nigerian and US forces conducted military operations in north-eastern Nigeria that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally.
AFRICOM announced in June that it had withdrawn most of the troops deployed for the operation but would continue providing intelligence support to Nigeria.