DHQ Confirms Arrival of 100 US Troops in Nigeria

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the arrival of 100 United States military personnel and equipment in Nigeria, saying they landed at the Bauchi airfield as part of a bilateral security cooperation agreement between Nigeria and the US.

In a statement issued on Monday, Samaila Uba, the Director of Defence Information, says the deployment followed a formal request by the Federal Government for assistance in military training, technical support and intelligence sharing for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

According to the DHQ, the collaboration is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to counter terrorist threats and enhance the protection of vulnerable communities across the country.

Uba stressed that the US personnel are technical specialists serving strictly in advisory and training capacities, and are not deployed as combat forces.

He added that all training and support activities would be conducted under the authority, direction and control of the Federal Government, in close coordination with the Nigerian military.

He said Nigerian troops and US trainers would soon begin joint training exercises and intelligence-focused cooperation initiatives designed to improve the ability of Nigerian forces to identify and neutralise extremist groups threatening national security.

“The military remains fully committed to degrading and defeating terrorist groups that threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty, national security and the safety of its citizens,” the statement said.

The DHQ also assured Nigerians of transparency, pledging to provide timely and accurate information on the scope and progress of the military cooperation.

The deployment comes amid heightened scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation by the administration of Donald Trump, which has criticised the Nigerian government over its handling of violent attacks, particularly those affecting Christian communities.

The US government had previously designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a claim rejected by Nigerian authorities, who maintain that insecurity affects citizens of all faiths.

Following engagements with Nigerian officials in Abuja, the Commander of United States Africa Command, Dagvin Anderson, confirmed that a small team of US officers was in Nigeria primarily to provide intelligence support.

While some critics have raised concerns that the deployment could undermine Nigeria’s territorial integrity, the DHQ clarified that the partnership focuses on capacity building, professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support and strategic dialogue, in line with existing bilateral agreements.

Nigeria continues to battle multiple armed groups, including Boko Haram, its splinter faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the ISIL-linked Lakurawa group, and various bandit networks involved in kidnapping for ransom and illegal mining.

According to United Nations data, the protracted conflict has claimed several thousand lives across the country.