Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria chief of defence staff, listens as Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command delivers opening remarks for a two-day meeting with senior AFRICOM commanders and leaders. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Gift exchange: Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command (left), presents a gift of appreciation to Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria chief of defence staff. AFRICOM hosted a two-day meeting that brought together AFRICOM component commanders and several senior members of the Nigerian military. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 10, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria CDS, met with AFRICOM senior leaders to discuss strategies for security cooperation.

Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command (5th from left) and Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria chief of defence staff (6th from right) pose with select senior staff from AFRICOM and the Nigerian military. The Nigerians were invited to participate in a two-day meeting with senior AFRICOM commanders and leaders. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria CDS, is greeted by Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command as he arrives for a two-day meeting with senior AFRICOM commanders and leaders. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship. Gen. Olonisakin and several of his most senior officers engaged in topics on counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics, and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Nigeria Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin (right) and the Commander, U.S. Africa Command, Gen. David Rodriguez, pose for a photo. AFRICOM hosted a two-day meeting that brought together the component commanders and several senior members of the Nigerian military. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Gift exchange: Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria chief of defence staff (right) presents a gift of appreciation to Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command. AFRICOM hosted a two-day meeting that brought together AFRICOM component commanders and several senior members of the Nigerian military. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 10, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command delivers opening remarks for a two-day meeting with Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria CDS, and several of his most senior officers. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command delivers opening remarks for a two-day meeting with Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria CDS, and several of his most senior officers. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Air Commodore Aminu Yakubu, Nigeria defence attaché is greeted by Maj. Gen. Bryan Watson, AFRICOM director of operations. The two were participants in a two-day meeting with Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria CDS, and several of his most senior officers and AFRICOM staff and component commanders. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

Nigeria Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) visits AFRICOM: Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, U.S. Africa Command welcomes Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams, Commander, U.S. Army Africa to a two-day meeting with Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Nigeria CDS, and several of his most senior officers. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the importance of a strong US-Nigeria security cooperation relationship, with topics focused on ways to counter terrorism, joint operations, logistics and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 9, 2016, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Brenda Law, U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/RELEASED)

More than 1,000 troops from 20 countries participated in the annual exercise.

U.S. Army Gen. David Rodriguez at the closing ceremony for Flintlock, Mar. 9, 2015, N'Djamena, Chad. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Espinosa, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa/RELEASED)

Flintlock 2015 closing ceremony, N'Djamena, Chad. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Espinosa, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa/RELEASED)

Flintlock 2015 Chadian Exercise Director, Brig. Gen. Zakaria Ngobongue (right) and U.S. Special Operations Command Africa Commanding General, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Linder at the closing ceremony for Flintlock in N'Djamena, Chad. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Espinosa, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa/RELEASED)

Special Operations Command Africa Commander General, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Linder, congratulates Tunisian special forces after a successful multi-national demonstration on Mar. 7, 2015 in the vicinity of Mao, Chad. The soldiers completed three weeks of training in austere conditions as part of the Flintlock 2015 exercise. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Maj. Nathan Broshear/RELEASED)

Training enables medical treatment to continue after exercise.

Chadians receive information about treatment from medical care personnel during Exercise Flintlock 2015.

U.S. Naval course brings 33 naval leaders from Africa and Europe to discuss maritime issues of mutual concern in effort to improve war-fighting capability.

A delegation of African Union journalists spent the week of 9-12 Feb., 2015 visiting U.S. Africa Command to learn about the command’s mission and programs. (U.S. AFRICOM photos by Brenda Law/Released)