The United States has officially confirmed the deployment of its troops on Nigerian soil, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s counterterrorism posture in West Africa as Islamic State-linked violence intensifies across the region.
The confirmation came from General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, who disclosed that a small team of American forces is currently operating in Nigeria following joint consultations between both governments. The revelation represents the first public acknowledgment of U.S. troops on the ground since American airstrikes targeted Islamic State positions in Nigeria on Christmas Day.
President Donald Trump had ordered the December airstrikes, describing them as precision attacks on ISIS elements and warning that further U.S. military action could follow if the terror threat persists. Prior to the announcement, Reuters had reported that U.S. surveillance flights had been conducted over Nigeria from Ghana since late November, signaling growing American involvement behind the scenes.
Speaking during a press briefing, General Anderson said the deployment was the outcome of intensified cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in response to worsening insecurity across West Africa. He explained that both countries agreed more decisive action was required to counter the expanding influence of terrorist groups operating in Nigeria.
Read Also:
- Convicted Nigerian Nationals face deportation as ICE intensifies U.S. crackdown
- U.S. Military buildup, Iran supreme leader Vanishes, as protests that could topple regime rages
- U.S. to close embassy in Abuja in honour of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
“This has led to increased collaboration between our nations, including a small U.S. team that brings unique capabilities from the United States,” Anderson told journalists, while declining to disclose details about the size, duration, or exact scope of the mission.
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, later confirmed the presence of the U.S. team, though he also refrained from providing operational specifics. A former senior U.S. official, however, indicated that American personnel are deeply involved in intelligence gathering and supporting Nigerian forces to carry out targeted strikes against terror-linked groups.
The development comes amid mounting pressure from Washington on Abuja, following repeated accusations by President Trump that Nigeria has failed to protect Christian communities from attacks by armed extremists, particularly in the country’s northwest. Trump has previously warned that Christianity faces what he termed an “existential threat” in Nigeria, threatening military intervention if violence against Christian populations continues.
The Nigerian government has strongly rejected claims of religious persecution, maintaining that security forces are engaged in a nationwide campaign against Islamist insurgents and criminal gangs who target both Christian and Muslim civilians.
Meanwhile, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province fighters have stepped up attacks on military convoys and rural communities, with the northwest remaining a critical flashpoint in Nigeria’s 17-year insurgency. AFRICOM confirmed that a recent U.S.-coordinated strike in Sokoto State, carried out in partnership with Nigerian authorities, killed several ISIS operatives.
As the security crisis deepens, the confirmation of U.S. troops on Nigerian soil signals a new phase in the counterterrorism war, one that could redefine Nigeria’s security partnerships and reshape the balance of power in West Africa’s fight against extremism.
