The initial group of U.S. military personnel has arrived in Nigeria, marking the start of a deployment of around 200 American intelligence analysts, advisers, and trainers to assist Nigerian forces in targeted counterterrorism operations, partly aimed at protecting Christian communities.
A U.S. military plane landed in Maiduguri on Thursday night, with about 100 troops arriving first. Additional aircraft carrying personnel and equipment are expected over the coming weeks.
Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, a Nigerian defense spokesperson, emphasized that the U.S. personnel will focus on training and technical support. “These personnel do not serve in a combat capacity and will not assume a direct operational role. Nigerian forces retain full command authority, make all operational decisions, and will lead all missions on Nigerian sovereign territory,” he said.
The deployment follows recommendations from a U.S.-Nigeria joint working group, with Americans providing advisory support across several locations. A U.S. Defense Department official confirmed the noncombat focus, noting that personnel will primarily operate from command posts.
The joint operations will cover volatile regions, including northern states with Boko Haram activity and the Middle Belt, where attacks on Christians have been significant. Early efforts will prioritize establishing secure communications, base infrastructure, and operational security in remote areas with limited facilities.
This week, the first batch of newly trained Nigerian special forces was deployed to Plateau State. Moving forward, U.S. and Nigerian forces will collaborate on joint mission planning, leveraging intelligence from both sides, including U.S. surveillance flights from Ghana.
The Pentagon described the mission as temporary, expected to last a few months, although successful operations could lead to further deployments.
