The United States has dispatched a “small team” of troops to Nigeria following recent security cooperation between both countries.
Dagvin Anderson, the general in charge of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), spoke of the development in a press briefing on Tuesday.
It is the first acknowledgement of US boots on the ground in Nigeria since the Donald Trump presidency launched missile strikes targeting terrorists in Sokoto on Christmas Day.
According to a report by Reuters on Tuesday, the deployment follows an agreement between the Federal Government and Washington to deepen cooperation against growing terrorist threats in West Africa
Head of the U.S. Africa Command, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, said during a press briefing on Tuesday, “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 did not disclose the size or specific role of the team but said it would support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
According to Reuters, Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, also confirmed the team’s presence but declined to give further details.
Security sources cited by Reuters said the Americans are likely involved in intelligence gathering and assisting Nigerian forces in targeting groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
He did not provide further details. It is also unclear when the team arrived in Nigeria.
Weeks ago, Allison Hooker, under-secretary of state, led a US team of eight federal agencies to Abuja for a bilateral working group meeting with Nigerian security officials.
Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA), headed the Nigerian delegation.
The meeting was in response to the redesignation of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ (CPC) by Trump.
Trump had threatened to send troops into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing to wipe out the terrorists killing our Christians”.
Nigeria has faced intense pressure from Washington over its handling of terrorist attacks, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump accused the government of failing to protect Christians in the northwest — a claim the Federal Government has rejected.
The FG has stressed that its military operations target all armed groups that attack civilians, regardless of religion.
On December 25, the US launched air strikes against two terrorist enclaves in Bauni forest in Tangaza LGA, Sokoto state.
