US Confirms Troop Deployment to Nigeria Amid Rising Terror Threats
The United States has confirmed that a small team of its troops has been sent to Nigeria to help fight terrorism. This is the first official acknowledgement of American forces on the ground since Washington carried out airstrikes in Nigeria last December.
President Donald Trump ordered those strikes on what he described as Islamic State targets, warning that more US military action could follow. Reports earlier suggested that the US had already been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from Ghana since late November.
General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, head of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told journalists that the deployment was agreed upon by both countries. “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 said. Anderson did not give details about the size of the team or the scope of their mission.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, retired General Christopher Musa, confirmed the presence of US personnel but also declined to provide specifics. A former US official said the team is likely focused on intelligence gathering and supporting Nigerian forces in targeting terrorist groups.
The move comes as Nigeria faces growing pressure from Washington. President Trump has accused the West African nation of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants operating in the northwest. The Nigerian government denies this, insisting that its military is targeting Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other armed groups that attack both Christian and Muslim civilians.
Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters have intensified assaults on military convoys and civilians in recent months. The northwest remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s 17-year Islamist insurgency, which has displaced millions and destabilised communities.
US Africa Command confirmed that a recent strike in Sokoto State, carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities, killed multiple ISIS militants. The strike followed Trump’s warning in October that Christianity faced an “existential threat” in Nigeria. He threatened military intervention if violence against Christian communities was not stopped.
For Nigeria, the arrival of US troops marks a new phase in its fight against terrorism. For Washington, it signals a deeper involvement in West Africa’s security crisis. Analysts say the cooperation could strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, but it also raises questions about how far US military engagement in the region will go.
