The Nigerian government has clarified that United States military personnel recently deployed to the country are present strictly in an advisory and intelligence-support capacity, following a formal request from Abuja.
The clarification from Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.) comes after the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed sending a small team to assist Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and insurgency. AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson stated the deployment provides "unique capabilities" requested by Nigeria.
In a BBC interview, Minister Musa emphasized that the U.S. personnel are not combat troops but are engaged in training and intelligence collaboration. He did not disclose specifics regarding the team's size, location, or duration of stay.
This development follows joint air operations conducted by U.S. and Nigerian forces in late December 2025 against terrorist locations in the North-West and North-Central regions.
While the partnership has raised public debate over national sovereignty, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended the cooperation. Party spokesperson Felix Morka described the collaboration as "fully coordinated" and focused solely on defeating terrorism, with all actions reflecting mutual agreements between both governments.
President Bola Tinubu remains committed to using all necessary measures, including international partnerships, to end terrorist violence and restore security nationwide.
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