The United States has acknowledged sending a small contingent of troops to Nigeria to bolster efforts against Boko Haram and banditry, marking the first official confirmation of American forces on the ground since Washington launched airstrikes in December.
General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, head of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), disclosed the deployment during a briefing in Dakar on Tuesday, noting that the move followed an agreement between both countries to intensify cooperation against terrorism in West Africa.
“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,” Anderson said, without specifying the size or scope of the mission.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa (retd.), confirmed the presence of the team but also withheld details. A former U.S. official suggested the unit is primarily engaged in intelligence gathering and supporting Nigerian forces in targeting terrorist-linked groups.
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The deployment comes amid pressure from Washington, with President Donald Trump accusing Nigeria of failing to protect Christian communities from Islamist militants in the northwest. The Nigerian government has rejected claims of religious persecution, insisting its operations target insurgents attacking both Christians and Muslims.
Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have escalated assaults on military convoys and civilians, keeping the northwest at the centre of Nigeria’s 17-year insurgency.
AFRICOM confirmed that recent U.S. airstrikes in Sokoto State, conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities, killed multiple ISIS militants. The strikes followed Trump’s warnings in October that Christianity faced an “existential threat” in Nigeria and his pledge of possible further military intervention.
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