The United States has deployed about 200 troops to Nigeria to support the country’s fight against Islamist insurgents, with a focus on training and capacity building for local forces, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
An American military official cited in the report said the deployment comes weeks after US President Donald Trump criticised Nigeria over alleged failures to protect Christians from terrorist attacks. The troops are expected to enhance Nigeria’s counterterrorism capabilities through specialised training and operational support.
The report noted that the newly deployed personnel will reinforce a small contingent of US military advisers already operating in Nigeria. These advisers work with Nigerian forces by providing intelligence support to help identify targets for military operations, according to both US and Nigerian officials.
Speaking during a virtual briefing last week, the Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Gen. Dagvin R. Anderson, confirmed that cooperation between the two countries had intensified following high-level engagements.
“I was able to meet President Tinubu. We were able to share some thoughts and agree that we needed 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 from the United States to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years.”
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has, however, clarified that the security partnership with the United States is centred on capacity building rather than direct combat operations. According to the military, the collaboration spans professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support and strategic dialogue aimed at tackling shared security threats, particularly terrorism.
The clarification followed media reports and public speculation about the presence of US troops in the country. In a statement, the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, stressed that all engagements with the United States respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and operate within established bilateral agreements.
“The Defence Headquarters has noted recent media reports and public speculation suggesting the presence or deployment of United States troops in Nigeria,” the statement said. “The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to state that Nigeria maintains a long-standing and structured security partnership with the United States.”
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Sunday received a high-level US delegation led by the AFRICOM commander at the State House in Abuja. The delegation included Gen. Anderson and the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern. Discussions at the meeting focused on deepening defence cooperation and strengthening regional security initiatives.
