US Military Personnel Arrive in Bauchi
The United States has deployed 100 military personnel to northern Nigeria to provide training and intelligence support as attacks by armed groups intensify.
Spokesman for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, Major General Samaila Uba, confirmed that the US troops arrived in Bauchi State in the country’s northeast. According to him, the personnel will offer technical support and intelligence sharing to assist Nigerian forces in targeting and dismantling terrorist organisations.
He emphasized that the US troops will not participate in direct combat operations and will operate under the full command authority of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to degrading and defeating terrorist organisations that threaten the country’s sovereignty, national security and the safety of its citizens,” Uba said.
The US also deployed associated equipment to support the advisory mission.
Rising Attacks in Northern Nigeria
The deployment comes amid a surge in deadly violence across northern Nigeria.
Last weekend, gunmen riding motorcycles attacked three villages, killing at least 46 people and abducting several others. The most severe assault occurred in Konkoso village in Niger State, where at least 38 people were reportedly shot or killed.
Nigeria continues to face threats from armed groups including Boko Haram and ISIL-linked factions operating in the region. Other groups include Lakurawa and various armed bandit networks engaged in kidnapping and illegal mining.
The conflict has also expanded with the presence of fighters linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which claimed its first attack on Nigerian soil last year.
According to United Nations data, several thousand people have been killed in Nigeria due to armed group violence.
Background to US-Nigeria Security Relations
The deployment follows recent diplomatic tensions between Washington and Abuja.
US President Donald Trump had previously accused Nigeria of failing to prevent killings of Christians and warned of possible US intervention. The Nigerian government rejected the claims, stating that victims of the violence come from different religious backgrounds.
Analysts note that while Christians have been targeted in some attacks, the majority of victims in the Muslim-majority north are Muslims.
In December, US forces conducted air strikes against ISIL-affiliated fighters in Nigeria’s northwest. Earlier this year, the head of United States Africa Command confirmed that a small US military team was already in Nigeria focusing on intelligence cooperation.
Ongoing Security Challenge
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with about 240 million people evenly split between Christians and Muslims, continues to battle insurgency, banditry and cross-border militant activity.
The latest US deployment signals renewed bilateral security cooperation aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s counterterrorism capacity amid persistent and evolving threats.
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