By Ayo Kehinde
The Federal Government has clarified that the presence of United States military personnel in Nigeria is strictly for intelligence support and training, and not for combat operations against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The clarification followed concerns raised over reports of U.S. troops operating in the country. Government officials explained that the deployment involves a small team of American military officers providing intelligence assistance at the request of Nigeria, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen counter-terrorism operations.
Speaking earlier in Dakar, Senegal, the Head of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, disclosed that the team was dispatched to Nigeria to support intelligence gathering and analysis aimed at degrading terrorist networks in the region.
The development forms part of expanded security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States to address militant activities across West Africa. It also comes after U.S. President, Donald Trump, ordered airstrikes on suspected Islamic State-linked targets in Nigeria in December 2025.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, confirmed the presence of the U.S. team in the country but did not disclose details regarding its size or operational scope. He, however, stressed that the collaboration does not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Amid public concerns, Musa reassured Nigerians that the partnership is focused on intelligence sharing, capacity building and training, noting that Nigeria retains full control of all military operations within its territory.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty while leveraging strategic international partnerships to enhance the fight against terrorism and restore lasting peace to affected communities.
