The United States has officially confirmed the deployment of military personnel to Nigeria, marking the first public acknowledgment of American forces on Nigerian soil since airstrikes were conducted in December.
General Dagvin Anderson, head of United States Africa Command, said on Tuesday the deployment followed discussions between Washington and Abuja on strengthening efforts against militant groups operating in West Africa. The announcement represents a significant escalation in bilateral security cooperation between both nations.
Anderson stated the decision emerged from a meeting with President Bola Tinubu during the Aqaba Process counterterrorism summit in Rome in October last year. The two countries agreed on the need for enhanced collaboration to combat escalating terrorist threats across the region.
Defence Minister Christopher Musa separately confirmed the presence of United States personnel in Nigeria but declined to provide further details. Anderson described the unit as offering specialised capabilities but did not disclose the team’s size, specific mandate or operational locations.
The deployment follows airstrikes ordered by United States President Donald Trump on 25 December against targets described as Islamic State camps in Sokoto State. The United States Africa Command said multiple militants were killed in coordinated strikes with Nigerian authorities.
While both governments described the December operation as successful, unexploded ordnance believed to be strike debris was later discovered in civilian areas across Kwara, Niger and Sokoto states.
The Christmas Day strikes occurred weeks after Trump threatened military intervention in Nigeria over allegations of systematic persecution of Christian communities. Nigerian authorities rejected claims of religious genocide, stating security forces target armed groups attacking both Christian and Muslim civilians.
Nigeria continues battling a prolonged insurgency led primarily by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province. Both groups have intensified attacks in the northeast while attempting to expand influence into northwest and north central regions already experiencing banditry, communal violence and resource conflicts.
Washington had been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighbouring Ghana since at least late November, providing intelligence support ahead of the December operation.
The United States has maintained longstanding security partnerships with Nigeria, including military equipment supplies and reconnaissance operations. The deployment of ground forces represents a notable expansion of direct American military involvement in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Anderson did not specify when the team arrived in Nigeria or provide a timeline for the mission duration.
