The United States has deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria as part of efforts to bolster security cooperation between the two countries.
This move comes after President Bola Tinubu’s meeting with US Africa Command (AFRICOM) General Dagvin Anderson, who confirmed the deployment, citing increased collaboration with Nigeria’s government to combat terrorism.
The US had previously carried out airstrikes against militant camps in northwestern Nigeria in collaboration with the Nigerian government.
The deployment is part of a broader cooperation framework agreed upon by Nigeria and the US, focusing on intelligence sharing, defence equipment, and humanitarian support.
Nigeria has rejected allegations of genocide, stating that violence affects both Christians and Muslims, and has emphasized its commitment to protecting civilians and vulnerable communities.
The US military had drawn up plans for possible intervention in Nigeria, including light, medium, and heavy options, in response to President Donald Trump’s threat to protect Christians from attacks by Islamic militants.
However, military officials have said that any major operation would likely fail without an Iraq or Afghanistan-style campaign.
