Additional Coverage:
- 100 US troops land in Nigeria as Islamic militants threaten West Africa regional security (foxnews.com)
U.S. Troops Arrive in Nigeria to Aid Fight Against Militants
Abuja, Nigeria – A contingent of approximately 100 U.S. troops and military equipment touched down in Nigeria on Monday, marking the initial phase of a broader security cooperation effort aimed at bolstering local forces in their battle against Islamic militants and other armed groups. The deployment, requested by the Nigerian government, is part of a mission focused on training, technical support, and intelligence sharing.
In total, around 200 U.S. Africa Command personnel are expected to deploy to Nigeria, including intelligence analysts, advisers, and trainers. This support mission is designed to strengthen the capabilities of Nigerian forces in confronting extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, both of which have been responsible for numerous attacks in northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.
This move follows recent high-level visits by U.S. Africa Command officials to Abuja, aimed at reinforcing military ties and expanding counterterrorism cooperation.
On February 8, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu met with a U.S. delegation led by U.S. Africa Command commander Gen.
Dagvin Anderson, where discussions centered on enhancing intelligence sharing and operational coordination.
The deployment also signals an easing of tensions between Washington and Abuja, which had previously experienced friction over issues of religious violence and civilian protection. Former President Donald Trump had accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from what he described as a genocide, citing attacks by extremist groups. Trump had previously ordered airstrikes targeting Islamic State militants in Sokoto State, which he stated were responsible for killing Christians and were coordinated with Nigerian authorities.