The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson, has reaffirmed the importance of deeper collaboration between Nigeria and the United States, saying such a partnership remains crucial to addressing insecurity and other strategic challenges facing the country.
Benson stated this while reflecting on his recent engagements with senior U.S. officials, which he attended alongside other relevant committee chairmen with reporters in Abuja.
According to him, the series of meetings reinforced a consistent message: that Nigeria and the United States are stronger when they work together.
He said, “On 19 November 2025, I led a team of relevant committee chairmen to meet a United States delegation led by Ms. Cassandra Carraway and Mr. Mark Handloff. This followed the 13 August 2025 consultations with the military-political adviser at the U.S. Embassy, also involving Mr. Handloff, and the earlier 15 December 2024 dialogue with the U.S. congressional delegation led by Rep. John James, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, alongside Reps. Young Kim, Sara Jacobs, Jonathan Jackson, and officials of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, led by Amb. Richard Mills Jr.”
Benson noted that each engagement reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between both countries and their shared commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in Nigeria.
“Rep. John James has consistently reiterated the U.S. government’s dedication to supporting Nigeria through both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches,” he said.
He explained that the latest round of talks concluded with both sides agreeing on the need to deepen trust, expand U.S. support for Nigeria’s counter-insurgency efforts, strengthen human-rights protections, and enhance legislative diplomacy.
Benson added that Nigeria seeks a relationship with the United States that reflects not only the nation’s challenges but also the strength, creativity, and resilience of its youth, as well as the ongoing reforms aimed at restoring Nigeria to its rightful place as the giant of Africa.
He noted that Nigeria does not benefit from “condemnation or confrontation,” especially at this delicate phase of its democratic evolution.
“Our engagements with U.S. officials have consistently affirmed that cooperation, collaboration, and constructive partnership are the most effective tools for addressing our security concerns, deepening our democracy, and protecting human rights,” he said.
Benson stressed that Nigeria remains open to honest dialogue, fair criticism, and mutual accountability—provided they occur within a framework of respect and shared strategic interests.
“These,” he said, “are the surest pathways to a more peaceful, more stable, and more prosperous Nigeria, in a manner that advances the long-term interests, values, and security of both Nigeria and the United States.”
