Insecurity: US Military Confirms Deployment of ‘Small Team’ to Nigeria

The United States military has confirmed the deployment of a small team of American forces to Nigeria, marking the first official acknowledgement of US troops operating on the ground in the country since airstrikes carried out in December 2025.
The confirmation was made on Tuesday by Dagvin Anderson, head of the United States Africa Command, who said the deployment followed a mutual agreement between Washington and the Nigerian government to strengthen counterterrorism efforts.
According to Reuters, Mr Anderson described the unit as providing “unique US capabilities” but declined to disclose details about the team’s size, mission scope or specific activities.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, also confirmed the presence of US personnel in the country but offered no further information.
The deployment comes against the backdrop of a prolonged insurgency led by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, particularly in the North-east. Both groups have intensified attacks in recent months while seeking to expand operations into the North-west and North-central regions, where banditry and resource-based conflicts continue to fuel insecurity.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on what he described as Islamic State camps in North-east Nigeria on 25 December 2025.
While US and Nigerian officials said the strikes were successful, undetonated explosives believed to be debris from the missile attacks were later discovered in civilian-dominated areas of Kwara, Niger and Sokoto states.
The strikes followed weeks after Mr Trump threatened to launch aggressive military action against Nigeria after redesignating the country as one of particular concern, citing disputed claims of Christian genocide.
The Nigerian government rejected the narrative, maintaining that citizens of all faiths were victims of insurgency and banditry. It urged the United States to focus on dismantling terrorist networks rather than promoting claims that could further deepen religious divisions.
In addition to the troop deployment, Washington has also carried out surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighbouring Ghana as part of its regional security operations.