Manny Ita
The United States has confirmed the deployment of a small military team to Nigeria as part of ongoing security cooperation aimed at countering terrorist and extremist groups, U.S. officials said. The deployment follows recent U.S. airstrikes in Sokoto State targeting militants affiliated with the Islamic State, carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, head of the U.S. Africa Command, stated that the deployment followed discussions with Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu last year in Rome. “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 said, without specifying the size, tasks, or arrival date of the unit.
Anderson’s remarks represent the first official confirmation from U.S. defense authorities of personnel operating in Nigeria. The deployment is reportedly focused on intelligence support and enhancing Nigerian forces’ capacity to conduct operations against armed groups, according to officials familiar with the mission.
Nigeria’s Defence Ministry confirmed the presence of the U.S. team but declined to provide details of its mandate, citing the sensitivity of joint security operations. U.S. officials emphasized that the mission is intended to provide assistance and cooperation rather than engage in large-scale combat operations. Nigerian authorities reiterated that the support respects national sovereignty and is aimed at strengthening local capacity to address security challenges.
The deployment comes amid ongoing concerns over Islamist insurgencies in Nigeria, particularly from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, which have carried out attacks on civilians and military targets across the northwest for nearly two decades. Both governments continue to monitor the evolving security situation and assess the need for further cooperation or additional deployments.
