US Commanding General Visits Buratai, Pledges Cooperation

The newly appointed Commanding General United States Army Africa (USARAF), Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier, has commended the Nigerian Army’s efforts in curbing contemporary security challenges especially the Boko Haram terrorism.

He gave the commendation Tuesday when he paid a visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, at the Conference Room, Army Headquarters in Abuja.

Cloutier informed Buratai that he’s in Army Headquarters to

formally inform him of his appointment and to seek for further collaboration with the Nigerian Army in the areas of training support, procurement and logistics.

“I am committed to a deep long time relationship with the Nigerian Army,” Cloutier said.

In his response, Buratai thanked the US Army Africa Command for the assistance to the Nigerian Army.

According to him, “We must continue to collaborate to make sure we synergise and work closely on counter terrorism/insurgency training. We have created Nigerian Army Special Forces Command with Headquarters in Nasarawa State and Special Forces School at Buni Yadi in Yobe State, which will certainly require a lot of support from our partners.”

He also assured the Commanding General of the desire of the Nigerian Army to strengthen the existing agreement with the US Africa Command particularly in the areas of training, logistics and other defence related matters such as counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency training.

Buratai, in a statement by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, congratulated Cloutier on his well deserved appointment and assured him of the Nigerian Army’s continuous support and collaboration towards achieving mutually beneficial relationship.