The Nigerian ministry of defense announces arrival of 100 US military personnel
Nigeria’s Ministry of Defense announced Monday the arrival of about 100 US military personnel in the country, as part of strengthening military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States to combat the activity of armed groups in the West African country.
The US military personnel arrived in response to an official request made by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the US Government to support clear and specific military training requirements, technical support and intelligence sharing from members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, according to the Nigerian Ministry of Defense.
For its part, the Nigerian Defense Staff noted that the US personnel deployed are technical experts who perform their duties exclusively in an advisory and training framework, and aren’t combat forces.
The US military had earlier confirmed the dispatch of a small team to Nigeria, its first official acknowledgement of the presence of US elements on Nigerian soil, since airstrikes carried out in late December 2025 against Islamic State militants.
Washington has stepped up pressure on Nigeria after US President Donald Trump accused the country of failing to protect Christians from armed groups, which Abuja rejected, stressing that its security forces were targeting armed groups that attack Christians and Muslims alike.
Nigeria faces complex security challenges, including armed attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State, as well as the activity of armed gangs that practice kidnapping for ransom.
