The Defence Headquarters has announced the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel in Nigeria to support training and intelligence cooperation with the Nigerian Armed Forces.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the US personnel and associated equipment arrived at the Bauchi Airfield as part of an ongoing Nigeria–US defence collaboration.
According to the statement, the deployment followed deliberations between Nigerian and US officials during a recent working group engagement and came after a formal request by the Federal Government seeking military training, technical support and intelligence sharing.
The Defence Headquarters said the collaboration would give Nigeria access to specialised technical capabilities aimed at strengthening its ability to deter terrorist threats and improve the protection of vulnerable communities.
It clarified that the US personnel were technical specialists serving strictly in advisory and training roles and were not combat troops. All activities, the statement added, would be conducted under the authority and control of the Nigerian government in close coordination with the Armed Forces.
The statement noted that Nigerian troops would begin a series of joint training exercises and intelligence-focused cooperation initiatives with the US advisers. These efforts are intended to improve the capacity of Nigerian forces to identify and neutralise extremist groups threatening national security.
The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to defeating terrorist organisations and safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and citizens. It also assured Nigerians of transparency and promised to provide accurate and timely information on the military cooperation.
