The United States (US) Commander of Special Operations Command, Africa has revealed that the global terrorists group, Al-Qaeda and ISIS were planning inroad to the South Western part of Nigeria.
The US security said the terrorists groups are already making inroad, adding that they see Nigeria as critical to their operations.
In a media briefing on Wednesday, Commander Dagvin Anderson, further revealed that they are also expanding to other West African countries.
US however, promised to partner with Nigeria in sharing intelligence.
The US said they have shared the intelligence with Nigeria to let them know what the terrorists have in the offing.
“And that has been absolutely critical to their engagements up in the Borno state and into an emerging area of northwest Nigeria that we’re seeing al-Qaeda starting to make some inroads in.
“So, this intelligence sharing is absolutely vital and we stay fully engaged with the government of Nigeria to provide them with an understanding of what these terrorists are doing, what Boko Haram is doing, what ISIS-West Africa is doing, and how ISIS and al-Qaeda are looking to expand further south into the littoral areas.
“We as a community of international nations, keep thinking we have defeated them or we have put them on their back foot and that they’re just moments from disintegration.”
Anderson said for international efforts to yield desired results in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, the government must take the lead.
“When it comes to Nigeria in general, Nigeria, obviously, is a critical nation to West Africa. It is a critical nation and we realise that Nigeria is a lynchpin,” he said.
