The United States has officially confirmed the deployment of a small team of its military personnel to Nigeria, marking the first public acknowledgment that U.S. forces are now operating on Nigerian soil as insecurity continues to worsen.
The confirmation was made by General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), who disclosed that the decision followed high-level discussions with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rome late last year.
According to Anderson, both countries agreed that stronger cooperation was necessary to confront the growing terrorist threat in the region.
“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations, to include a small U.S. team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States in order to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years,” Anderson told journalists during a press briefing.
While the exact date of the team’s arrival in Nigeria remains unclear, the AFRICOM chief explained that the personnel are expected to provide specialised support, particularly in intelligence gathering and operational planning, to bolster Nigerian forces battling extremist groups.
Security analysts say the move underscores Washington’s renewed commitment to stabilising West Africa, where armed insurgency, banditry, and terror-related violence have continued to claim lives and displace communities.
The deployment also comes weeks after U.S. airstrikes carried out last Year ending, targeted an Islamic State-affiliated group in the region, signalling a more proactive American military posture.
Although U.S. officials described the contingent as small, its presence represents a significant step in deepening defence ties between Abuja and Washington, as Nigeria seeks international support to curb terrorism and restore security nationwide.
