Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - The United States has deployed about 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s military in the fight against Islamist militants, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
An American military official told the newspaper that the
deployment comes weeks after US President Donald Trump accused Nigeria of
failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks.
The report said the troops were expected to strengthen
Nigeria’s counterterrorism capacity through training and operational support.
It added that the newly deployed personnel would supplement
a small number of US military advisers already in Nigeria, who assist local
forces with intelligence to identify targets for military strikes, US and
Nigerian officials said.
Speaking during a virtual briefing last Tuesday, the
Commander of the United States Africa Command, Gen Dagvin R. Anderson,
confirmed increased collaboration between both countries following high-level
engagements.
He said, “I was able to meet President Tinubu. We were able
to share some thoughts and agree that we needed to work together on a way
forward in the region.
“That has led to increased collaboration between our
nations, including a small US team that brings unique capabilities from the
United States to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years.”
The Defence Headquarters also clarified that Nigeria’s
security partnership with the United States was focused on capacity building
rather than combat operations.
According to the military, the collaboration covers
professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support, and
strategic dialogue aimed at addressing shared security challenges, particularly
terrorism.
This clarification followed media reports and public
speculation suggesting the deployment of US troops in Nigeria.
In a statement, the Director of Defence Information, Maj Gen
Samaila Uba, said all engagements with the United States were conducted with
full respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and within established bilateral
frameworks.
“The Defence Headquarters has noted recent media reports and
public speculation suggesting the presence or deployment of United States
troops in Nigeria.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to state that Nigeria
maintains a long-standing and structured security partnership with the United
States,” the statement read.
Also, President Tinubu on Sunday received a high-level US
delegation led by the Commander of USAFRICOM at the State House in Abuja.
The delegation included Gen Anderson and his team, as well
as the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern.
The meeting focused on strengthening defence cooperation and
regional security efforts.
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