Charge d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in Nigeria, Mr David Greene, says both countries are working closely as partners to strengthen security and ensure stability in West Africa.

Greene stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja and described Nigeria as a strategic partner to the U.S. given its top position as a regional power in Africa.

"Security is something we partner on with lots of countries.

"Nigeria is a strategic partner because of its weight in the African region and the challenges in the Sahel and West Africa.

"This is in terms of dealing with violent extremism and stability. More broadly, Nigeria has been a key partner.

"Some of such cooperation involves the systems that we provide to it for it to be able to protect its coastal waters and carry out its counter-terrorism measures.

"Some of that involves the equipment that Nigeria buys from the U.S.

"The Nigerian government bought a dozen A-29 supercanon planes two years ago.

"It is a precision weapon that allows them to tackle terrorism problems.

"We do not just work with the military; we work with civilian security services very effectively in addressing illegal drug issues."

The envoy further said that the U.S. "is providing support to Nigeria in furtherance of its police reform and capacity building" aimed at delivering justice transparently.

"We are working with Nigeria on a programme to reduce the number of individuals that are in pre-trial detention, looking at the rights of those individuals in prisons and correctional facilities in Nigeria.

"We have a vast array of programmes attempting to support the Nigerian government's goals of enhancing the security and quality of life of Nigerian citizens.

"So, we are all aware of the challenges that Nigeria faces, both in terms of its security and the strength of the systems that should allow for continued improvement in the situation.

"This is a partnership that we are proud of and will continue," he added." (NAN)