In a significant escalation of military cooperation, the United States has deployed a team of troops to Nigeria, marking the first official U.S. military presence on the ground since airstrikes targeted terrorist camps on Christmas Day 2025.
The deployment, confirmed by Reuters, follows an agreement between the Federal Government and Washington to deepen collaboration against growing terrorist threats in West Africa. The airstrikes in December were ordered by then-President Donald Trump against what he described as "Islamic State targets" in Nigeria.
Head of the U.S. Africa Command, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, announced the move during a press briefing. “That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” he stated. While he did not disclose the team's size or specific role, he confirmed it would support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
Nigerian Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, also confirmed the team's presence but declined to provide further details. Security sources cited by Reuters indicated the Americans are likely involved in intelligence gathering and assisting Nigerian forces in targeting groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
This development comes after the U.S. conducted surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighbouring Ghana in late 2025, providing intelligence ahead of the December strikes. Nigeria has faced pressure from Washington over its handling of terrorist attacks, particularly after Trump accused the government of failing to protect Christians in the north-west—a claim Abuja has consistently rejected.
The Federal Government has maintained that its military operations target all armed groups that attack civilians, regardless of religion. The arrival of U.S. troops signals a new phase in bilateral security relations aimed at curtailing the expanding influence of terrorist organizations in the region.
#USMilitary #Nigeria #BokoHaram #CounterTerrorism #USAfricaCommand #ISWAP #Security #Reuters