The United States has confirmed the deployment of a small team of military officers to Nigeria, signaling a new phase in security cooperation between both countries as Nigeria battles persistent terrorism and insecurity.
The disclosure was made on Tuesday by the Commander of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, during a media briefing. Anderson said the move followed a series of high-level engagements with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including a meeting held in Rome late last year.
According to the AFRICOM chief, the deployment is part of broader efforts to strengthen collaboration between Washington and Abuja in addressing shared regional security challenges.
“These discussions have led to increased cooperation between our nations, including the deployment of a small U.S. team that brings unique capabilities to support and complement what Nigeria has been doing for several years,” Anderson said.
He did not disclose when the U.S. personnel arrived in Nigeria or provide details about the specific nature of their mission.
The development comes months after the United States conducted airstrikes on December 25 against an Islamic State–affiliated group in the region, highlighting Washington’s growing military involvement in West Africa.
Nigeria’s relationship with the United States has recently faced diplomatic strain, following comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused Nigeria of failing to protect its Christian population. These allegations led to Nigeria being designated a Country of Particular Concern under U.S. congressional provisions on religious freedom.
The Nigerian government has strongly rejected claims of religious persecution, insisting that criminal and terrorist groups operating in the country attack civilians without regard to religion.
Despite the tensions, the situation appears to have prompted closer military engagement between both nations. The United States has continued to provide Nigeria with military equipment and intelligence support, including reconnaissance operations in troubled regions.
Nigeria remains challenged by widespread insecurity, with armed groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) carrying out attacks across several states.
The crisis worsened last month when gunmen launched coordinated attacks on three churches in Kaduna State, abducting at least 168 people, further underscoring the scale of the country’s security challenges.
