More U.S. Military Officials Headed To Nigeria – Report

The United States (US) government is set to deploy about 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s armed forces as they continue operations against Islamist militant groups.
The plan was disclosed on Tuesday by a U.S. official, who told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that the soldiers would help boost Nigeria’s military capacity through training and operational support.

The development comes weeks after President Donald Trump approved airstrikes aimed at what he described as Islamic State positions.
According to the report, the additional troops will join a small number of American military personnel already operating in Nigeria. Last week, the U.S. military confirmed that a limited team had been deployed to the country, though it did not specify the number at the time. This marked the first public acknowledgment that American forces were on the ground following airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day.
President Trump has also indicated that further military action could be taken if necessary. Reports suggest that the United States has been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from Ghana since at least late November to track security threats.
The official said the 200 troops will reinforce the existing American team and collaborate closely with Nigerian forces to enhance their capacity to respond to militant attacks.
The U.S. Africa Command did not immediately provide additional comments regarding the deployment when contacted.
Nigeria has faced mounting pressure from Washington over its management of security challenges, particularly after Trump accused the country of failing to adequately protect Christians from attacks by Islamist militants in the northwest.
However, Nigerian authorities have dismissed those allegations. The government maintains that there is no organised persecution of Christians and insists that security operations are directed at all armed groups, regardless of whether their victims are Christians or Muslims.
Militant groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have intensified attacks on both military personnel and civilians. These assaults have continued to destabilise parts of the northwest and have prolonged an insurgency that has lasted for approximately 17 years.
Nigeria, with a population exceeding 230 million, is almost evenly divided between Christians, predominantly in the south, and Muslims, largely in the north. The ongoing conflict has impacted communities across both religious groups.