Abuja, Nigeria – About 100 United States military personnel have arrived in Nigeria as Washington increases its support to help the West African nation confront Islamist insurgents operating mainly in the north.
The deployment was confirmed on February 16 by Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters. He said the American troops would focus on training and advising Nigerian forces and would not take part in direct combat operations.
The latest arrivals come as U.S. President Donald Trump accuses Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants in the northwest. Nigeria has rejected the allegation, maintaining that its security agencies pursue armed groups responsible for attacks on both Christians and Muslims.
Washington has already taken action in support of Abuja. In December, the United States carried out air strikes targeting militants linked to the Islamic State group. A small American military team has also been operating on Nigerian soil to strengthen intelligence gathering and coordination.
Flight tracking data reviewed by Reuters shows that several aircraft carrying U.S. troops and military equipment have in recent days flown into northern Nigerian states, where insurgent activity remains a major security concern.
Earlier this month, Nigeria’s military announced it was expecting around 200 additional U.S. personnel as part of the broader cooperation effort.
Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare said Nigeria required “massive support from the U.S. government” in terms of fighter jets and munitions, but he declined to give specific figures or timelines for the assistance.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with about 240 million people, is almost evenly divided between Christians, who are mainly in the south, and Muslims, who are largely in the north. Authorities in Abuja acknowledge serious security challenges, particularly from Islamist fighters, but deny that Christians face widespread or systematic persecution.
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