…U.S President Trump had also indicated that further American military operations in the country might follow.
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The United States (U.S) has deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria, marking the first official U.S. military presence on the ground since airstrikes hit terrorist targets on Christmas Day 2025.
The deployment follows December 2025 airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump against what he described as “Islamic State targets” in Nigeria. Trump had also signaled that additional U.S. military action in the country could occur.
Reuters reported that the United States had been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighboring Ghana since at least late November 2025, providing intelligence support ahead of the December strikes. According to a Reuters report on Tuesday, the deployment comes after an agreement between the Nigerian government and Washington to strengthen cooperation against rising terrorist threats in West Africa.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, head of United States Africa Command, said, “That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small U.S. team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States.” He did not disclose the team’s size or specific role but noted it would support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
Defense Minister Christopher Musa also confirmed the United States team’s presence but provided no further details. Security sources cited by Reuters suggested that the Americans are likely assisting with intelligence gathering and helping Nigerian forces target groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Nigeria has faced mounting pressure from Washington over its handling of terrorist attacks, particularly after President Trump accused the government of failing to protect Christians in the northwest, a claim the Federal Government has rejected. The Nigerian government has emphasized that its military operations target all armed groups that attack civilians, regardless of religion.
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