US to send 200 troops to train Nigerian military against Islamist Militants

The United States has announced it will deploy about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in the coming weeks to assist the West African nation’s armed forces in combating Islamist insurgent groups that have ravaged parts of the country for more than a decade.

The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the deployment, which will supplement a US small team already in the country to aid the Nigerians with air strike targeting.

The decision marks a significant escalation in U.S.–Nigeria security cooperation and follows a series of earlier actions, including American airstrikes in Nigeria last December and the deployment of a small team of U.S. military specialists earlier this year.

The personnel will focus on training, technical guidance, intelligence sharing, and operational coordination with Nigerian forces — not on direct combat. They are expected to help with planning and synchronizing complex joint operations, including air strikes and ground missions against jihadist groups.

“We are getting US troops to assist in training and technical support,” Major General Samaila Uba, a spokesman for Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters, told AFP.

The additional troops, expected to arrive in the coming weeks, will provide “training and technical guidance,” including by helping their Nigerian counterparts coordinate operations that involve air strikes and ground troops simultaneously, the US daily said.

A US Africa Command spokeswoman confirmed the details of the report to AFP.

Nigeria has been under diplomatic pressure from the United States over insecurity in the country, which US President Donald Trump has characterized as “persecution” and “genocide” against Christians.

Despite the diplomatic pressure, Nigeria and the United States have found common ground in increasing military collaboration.

The US targeted militants in northwest Sokoto state with strikes in December, in a joint operation with Nigeria, officials from both countries said.

Going forward, the US military has said it will supply intelligence for Nigerian air strikes and work to expedite arms purchases.

While the 200-troop deployment represents a scaling up of that collaboration, “US troops aren’t going to be involved in direct combat or operations,” Uba told the Journal.

Nigeria requested the additional assistance, he added.