The United States has deployed around 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s military in fighting Islamist militants. This move comes after US President Donald Trump accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks. The troops will focus on strengthening Nigeria’s counter-terrorism capacity through training and operational support, supplementing existing US military advisers in the country

The deployment is part of a broader collaboration between the US and Nigeria, covering professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support, and strategic dialogue. Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters clarified that the partnership is focused on capacity building, not combat operations, and respects Nigeria’s sovereignty.

Gen Dagvin R. Anderson, Commander of US Africa Command, emphasized the partnership’s goal is to address shared security challenges, particularly terrorism. President Tinubu received a US delegation, including Gen Anderson, to discuss strengthening defence cooperation and regional security efforts