Nigerian Military Denies US Seizure Claim, Says Intel Shared Voluntarily
The Nigerian military has denied a claim by a senior US official that American forces seized a large cache of electronic material from terrorists during an operation in Nigeria. Director of Defence Information Brig‑Gen Samalia Uba said the electronic materials were de‑classified intelligence from earlier Nigerian counter‑terrorism operations and were voluntarily handed over to the United States as part of ongoing security cooperation. He emphasized that no new operation took place and that the materials were not taken by US forces but provided under the existing Nigeria‑US partnership. The rebuttal follows comments by US Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka, who claimed American troops killed 199 jihadists and seized the largest volume of enemy intelligence since 9/11. Uba noted that joint operations conducted in May remain ongoing and that the information exchange reflects the longstanding partnership between the two countries. The clarification marks the first official Nigerian response to the US allegation and seeks to clarify the nature of the intelligence transfer amid public debate over foreign military actions on Nigerian soil. Given the differing narratives, how should Nigerians assess the transparency of foreign military operations conducted within the country’s borders, and what level of oversight should be expected for future intelligence sharing?