EXCLUSIVE: Inside Nigeria’s expanding military partnership with the United States

Fresh details have emerged on the depth of Nigeria’s military cooperation with the United States, following intensified engagement between both countries after President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern.

Trump announced the decision in October, citing allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, claims the Nigerian government has consistently denied. A month later, the US president threatened to deploy troops into Nigeria to confront terrorists targeting Christians, a statement widely viewed as controversial and a potential breach of international law and national sovereignty.

In response, President Bola Tinubu dispatched a high-powered delegation led by Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, to meet with Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary. After the meeting, Hegseth said the Pentagon was working aggressively with Nigeria to curb the alleged persecution of Christians by jihadist groups, though he offered no specifics.

Demand for drone refuelling station

Days after the Ribadu-Hegseth meeting, the United States began intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria. Flight tracking data and accounts from current and former US officials indicated that contractor-operated aircraft took off from Ghana, flew over Nigeria, and returned to Accra.

On Christmas Day, the US carried out strikes on two terrorist enclaves in the Bauni forest in Tangaza local government area of Sokoto state. Nigeria’s ministry of foreign affairs said the precision strikes resulted from intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between both countries and were consistent with established international practice and bilateral agreements.

While reports initially suggested that Tomahawk cruise missiles were used, officials familiar with the operation told TheCable that the strikes were conducted with drones. Advanced drones can deliver highly accurate attacks using mounted weapons and guided munitions, though malfunctions can cause debris to fall over wide areas.

Communities in Sokoto and Kwara states reported explosions around the same time as the strikes. The federal government later confirmed that the explosions in Kwara were caused by debris from precision-guided munitions fired by the US.

Subsequently, senior Nigerian and US officials, including Ribadu and Allison Hooker, the US under-secretary of state, held bilateral working group meetings. A source familiar with the discussions said the US requested a refuelling station in Nigeria to support drone operations originating from Ghana.

According to the source, talks have advanced, with a north-eastern state selected to host the facility. The official stressed that the arrangement would not involve combat troops.

“There will be no boots on the ground or fighting operations. The support will be in equipment, intelligence, advisory roles, and training, which are already ongoing,” the source said.

Lagos and Abuja were reportedly proposed but rejected on security grounds. The north-east was chosen because it already hosts Nigeria’s drone operations. The facility would allow US personnel to fly in from Ghana, a major hub for US military logistics in Africa, to coordinate support for Nigerian forces.

The ‘small team’ in Nigeria

On Tuesday, Dagvin Anderson, commander of the US Africa Command, revealed that a small team of US troops had been deployed to Nigeria following recent security cooperation. The statement generated public concern, as it marked the first official acknowledgment of US troops in Nigeria since the Christmas Day strikes.

However, an official familiar with the arrangement said US forces had long collaborated with Nigeria and that the main change was the scope of their duties. The new assignment has reportedly been given to the US 3rd Special Forces Group.

The unit is trained to conduct missions including counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, intelligence operations, foreign internal defence, and security force assistance. It has previously operated in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, Ethiopia, the Congo, and Jordan.

Nigeria’s defence minister, Christopher Musa, later clarified that the US personnel are not combat troops. He described them as a small advisory team supporting intelligence gathering and training, without disclosing their size, location, arrival date, or duration of stay.

An official with knowledge of the operations told TheCable that the team played a coordinating role during the Christmas Day bombing.

The developments underscore a deepening military partnership between Nigeria and the United States, centred on intelligence sharing, drone operations, and advisory support rather than direct combat involvement.