Washington expands military cooperation as security crisis deepens across northeast and northwest Nigeria
The United States is set to deploy 200 troops to Nigeria in a significant expansion of military cooperation aimed at strengthening the country’s fight against jihadist insurgents and armed criminal groups.
Nigerian and US officials confirmed on Tuesday that the troops will focus strictly on training and technical support, not frontline combat operations.
“We are getting US troops to assist in training and technical support,” Major General Samaila Uba, spokesman for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, told AFP.
Training, Air Strike Coordination and Intelligence Support
The deployment, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, will reinforce a smaller US team already stationed in Nigeria that assists with air strike targeting.
According to US officials, the additional troops — expected within weeks — will provide advanced guidance on synchronising air and ground operations. The training will include improving coordination between air strikes and ground forces to enhance operational effectiveness against militant groups.
A spokesperson for US Africa Command confirmed the development.
Major General Uba stressed that the American personnel “aren’t going to be involved in direct combat or operations,” adding that Nigeria formally requested the expanded assistance.
Diplomatic Pressure and Controversial Claims
The move comes amid heightened diplomatic tension between Washington and Abuja over insecurity in Nigeria.
US President Donald Trump has previously described the violence as “persecution” and even “genocide” against Christians. However, security experts and Nigerian authorities reject that characterisation.
While some attacks have specifically targeted Christian communities, Muslims have also suffered mass casualties in insurgent violence. Massad Boulos, a senior US adviser on Arab and African affairs, said last year that Boko Haram and Islamic State affiliates “are killing more Muslims than Christians.”
Abuja has consistently dismissed claims of systemic Christian persecution, arguing that the crisis stems from broader security breakdowns rather than religious targeting alone. Independent analysts support this view, pointing instead to weak state control in vast rural regions plagued by jihadists and heavily armed gangs.
Joint Strikes and Expedited Arms Support
Military collaboration between the two countries has quietly intensified in recent months. In December, US and Nigerian forces carried out joint strikes targeting militants in Sokoto State, according to officials from both governments.
Going forward, Washington has pledged to expand intelligence sharing and accelerate weapons procurement processes to support Nigerian operations.
A Multi-Front Security Crisis
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, faces multiple overlapping security challenges.
A protracted jihadist insurgency continues to destabilise the northeast, driven by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). In the northwest, heavily armed “bandit” groups carry out mass kidnappings and raids on villages.
Meanwhile, central Nigeria has witnessed recurring clashes between predominantly Christian farming communities and largely Muslim Fulani herders — conflicts researchers attribute primarily to competition over shrinking land and resources rather than religion alone.
The arrival of US troops marks one of the most visible expansions of American military involvement in Nigeria in recent years — a move likely to reshape both regional security strategy and diplomatic relations between Abuja and Washington.
