Nigeria Deepens Intelligence Ties With US, Israel, Others Over Insecurity

Nigeria Deepens Intelligence Ties With US, Israel, Others Over Insecurity

The Presidency has revealed that Nigeria is strengthening intelligence-sharing arrangements with several global powers, including the United States, Israel, United Kingdom, France, and China, as part of a broader strategy to combat insecurity through intelligence-driven operations.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, disclosed this during an appearance on Daybreak, a programme on ARISE News Daybreak, on Monday.

He said the Federal Government is shifting from predominantly kinetic military operations to a more intelligence-based approach that focuses on tracking financing networks, identifying sponsors, and prosecuting suspects.

According to Oshodi, recent security gains reflect the impact of this strategy. He cited the arrest of suspects linked to the Ondo church killings as an example, noting that authorities are now prioritising investigations and prosecutions over extrajudicial outcomes.

“We have intelligence-based solutions now. We are arresting people,” he said, adding that security agencies are monitoring financial transactions and freezing suspicious accounts tied to criminal activities.

He explained that tackling terrorism financing requires cooperation across jurisdictions, particularly as funds often move through global banking systems such as SWIFT and other complex channels.

“We need international collaboration,” Oshodi stated, pointing to the role of foreign partners in providing satellite surveillance, financial intelligence, investigative support and counter-terrorism expertise.

The presidential aide’s remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions, including recent hostilities involving the United States and Israel in the Middle East.

They also follow calls from members of the U.S. Congress urging Nigeria to reconsider its military ties with Russia and limit Chinese influence.

However, Oshodi dismissed suggestions that Nigeria should tailor its foreign partnerships to satisfy any single nation. He stressed that the country’s security and economic interests would remain paramount.

“Nigeria will do whatever it can legally to ensure we have a safe, prosperous economy,” he said, adding that the government would work with any nation willing to support its security objectives.

He further downplayed fears of potential U.S. sanctions, arguing that Nigeria occupies a strategic position in West Africa and plays a significant role in the global energy market. According to him, mutual respect and recognition of sovereignty must underpin Nigeria’s engagement with all partners.

Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple security challenges, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in parts of the North-West and North-Central, separatist tensions in the South-East, and maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea.

Oshodi maintained that the evolving intelligence framework is designed to deliver long-term results by dismantling criminal networks rather than merely neutralising individual actors.

He expressed confidence that sustained collaboration with international partners would enhance national security and contribute to greater stability across West Africa.