The United States has confirmed the deployment of a small team of troops to Nigeria, marking the first official acknowledgement of American forces on the ground following recent US air operations.
The disclosure was made by the head of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, who said the move followed a joint decision by Washington and Abuja to intensify efforts against terrorism in West Africa.
Attention was drawn to US military involvement after airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day, which President Donald Trump said targeted Islamic State (ISIS) elements, warning that further action could follow.
Before the confirmation, Reuters had reported that the United States was conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighbouring Ghana since at least late November.
General Anderson said the renewed agreement between both countries had led to deeper collaboration, including the deployment of a small US team with specialised capabilities, but he declined to give details on the size or scope of the mission.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, also confirmed the presence of the team in the country, without disclosing further operational information.
The deployment comes amid pressure from Washington, following accusations by Trump that Nigeria had failed to protect Christian communities from attacks in the northwest, claims the Nigerian government has strongly denied.
AFRICOM said the Christmas Day airstrike, carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities in Sokoto State, killed several ISIS fighters, as Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to intensify attacks across parts of the country.
