The United States has deployed about 200 troops to Nigeria to support the country’s military in tackling Islamist militant groups, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
A US military official told the newspaper that the move comes weeks after President Donald Trump criticised Nigeria over its handling of attacks on Christian communities. The report said the troops will help enhance Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts through training and operational support.
The newly arrived personnel are expected to reinforce a small contingent of US military advisers already working in Nigeria. Those advisers assist local forces with intelligence gathering and target identification for military operations, according to US and Nigerian officials.
During a virtual briefing last Tuesday, the Commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Gen Dagvin R. Anderson, confirmed deeper cooperation between the two nations following high-level discussions.
“I was able to meet President Tinubu. We shared views and agreed on the need to work together on a way forward in the region,” Anderson said. “That has led to increased collaboration between our nations, including a small US team that brings unique capabilities to complement Nigeria’s long-standing efforts.”
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters clarified that the partnership with the United States is centred on capacity building, not combat operations. Military officials said the cooperation includes professional military training, intelligence sharing, logistics support, and strategic dialogue aimed at addressing common security threats, particularly terrorism.
The clarification followed media reports and speculation about the nature of the US troop presence in the country.
In a statement, the Director of Defence Information, Maj Gen Samaila Uba, emphasised that all engagements with the United States respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and operate within established bilateral agreements.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to state that Nigeria maintains a long-standing and structured security partnership with the United States,” the statement said.
On Sunday, President Bola Tinubu received a high-level US delegation at the State House in Abuja. The team, led by Gen Anderson, included the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern. Discussions focused on strengthening defence cooperation and enhancing regional security efforts.
