Maiduguri, Nigeria — The first wave of United States military personnel has arrived in Nigeria, launching a new phase of bilateral cooperation aimed at strengthening the country’s counterterrorism operations in some of its most volatile regions.

A U.S. military aircraft landed Thursday night in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in northeastern Nigeria, marking the beginning of a deployment expected to total approximately 200 American intelligence analysts, advisers, and trainers. Nigerian and U.S. officials confirmed that roughly 100 personnel will arrive over the weekend, with additional troops and equipment scheduled to follow over the next several weeks.

According to defense officials, the deployment will focus strictly on advisory and technical support functions. Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, Nigeria’s defense spokesman, emphasized that the American personnel will not participate in combat operations.
“These personnel do not serve in a combat capacity and will not assume a direct operational role,” General Uba stated. “Nigerian forces retain full command authority, make all operational decisions, and will lead all missions on Nigerian sovereign territory.”

A U.S. Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to operational sensitivities, confirmed that American forces will primarily operate from command posts, providing intelligence analysis, mission planning assistance, and technical training.

Targeting High-Risk Regions:
The joint operations are expected to focus on northern Nigerian states where extremist groups such as Boko Haram have maintained a presence, as well as parts of the Middle Belt region, an area that has experienced persistent violence affecting both Christian and Muslim communities.

The deployment follows months of diplomatic pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized the Nigerian government over attacks on Christian communities. While Christians have suffered deadly assaults by extremist factions and armed militias, Muslims have also been victims of large-scale violence in the region.

Late last year, President Trump ordered a missile strike in Nigeria on Christmas Day, targeting militants he accused of orchestrating attacks on Christian populations. The strike drew international attention and marked a rare direct U.S. military action on Nigerian soil.

Building Infrastructure and Intelligence Capacity:
Officials noted that the American troops are arriving in remote areas with limited infrastructure. As a result, early efforts will concentrate on establishing secure communications systems, strengthening base infrastructure, and enhancing operational security in collaboration with Nigerian counterparts.

The new deployment builds on an existing small team of U.S. advisers already working with Nigerian special forces. Those advisers have been providing training in advanced warfare tactics, including map reading, intelligence interpretation, and coordinated strike and rescue operations. The first group of newly trained Nigerian special forces has already been deployed to Plateau State, officials said.

Joint mission planning will rely on intelligence gathered from both Nigerian and American sources, including data from U.S. surveillance flights operating from a base in neighboring Ghana.
Temporary Mission — For Now
While Nigerian officials declined to specify how long the American troops will remain in the country, Pentagon sources have described the mission as temporary, with an anticipated duration of several months. However, defense officials suggested that the scope of future deployments could expand depending on the effectiveness of joint operations.

The arrival of U.S. troops marks a significant development in U.S.-Nigeria security relations, signaling deeper military collaboration at a time when regional instability continues to challenge West Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation.
For now, Nigerian authorities maintain that sovereignty remains firmly in their hands — even as international support plays a growing role in the fight against terrorism.

Credit: The New York Times