Nigeria: US Deploys Small Military Team to Nigeria Amid Escalating Terror Threat
The United States has deployed a small team of military personnel to Nigeria, marking a new phase in deepening security cooperation between Washington and Abuja following recent extremist attacks and earlier US airstrikes on Nigerian soil.
Details of the deployment
General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), confirmed that a small US military team with “unique capabilities” has been sent to Nigeria to support ongoing Nigerian security operations. The exact size of the contingent and the precise nature of its mission have not been disclosed, but officials say the team is intended to augment Nigerian efforts rather than replace them. The deployment followed meetings between Anderson and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in Rome late last year, where both sides agreed to increase collaboration on regional security
Link to earlier US airstrikes
This move comes weeks after the US launched airstrikes against Islamic State–linked militants in Nigeria on December 25, targeting jihadist positions in Sokoto State in the country’s northwest. Those strikes, ordered under President Donald Trump, marked the first overt use of American air power in Nigeria as part of counter‑terrorism operations against Islamic State affiliates and other extremist groups. The newly deployed ground team is seen as a follow‑on step to those air operations, focused largely on intelligence support, coordination and assisting Nigerian forces in pursuing insurgent cells.
Nigeria has increasingly come under US diplomatic pressure over allegations of religious persecution, with Trump and some American lawmakers accusing the authorities of failing to protect Christian communities from Islamist attacks. Washington subsequently designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom, a move that strained ties even as security cooperation quietly expanded. The Nigerian government has firmly rejected claims of a Christian “genocide,” insisting that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of terrorism and banditry across the country.
Implications and unanswered questions
Analysts say the presence of US troops could boost Nigeria’s capacity with advanced surveillance, targeting and training, potentially improving the effectiveness of operations against jihadist networks. However, the deployment may also trigger controversy at home and across the region, with critics warning of sovereignty concerns and the risk that foreign intervention framed in religious terms could inflame sectarian tensions. Key questions remain over how long the US team will stay in Nigeria, whether its role will remain non‑combat, and if Washington plans further airstrikes or expanded missions as violence continues.