Washington expands military footprint in Nigeria

The United States has deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria, the commander of the US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed on February 3, marking the first official acknowledgement of American forces operating on the ground since Washington carried out airstrikes on Christmas Day.

In December, President Donald Trump ordered air attacks on what he described as Islamic State targets in Nigeria and warned that further US military action could follow.

Earlier, it was reported that the United States had been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighbouring Ghana since at least late November.

AFRICOM commander General Dagvin R.M. Anderson said the deployment followed a joint assessment by Washington and Abuja that stronger efforts were needed to counter terrorist threats in West Africa.

“This has led to increased collaboration between our nations, including a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” Anderson told reporters during a press briefing. He did not disclose the size of the team or the exact scope of its mission.

Nigeria’s Defense Minister Christopher Musa also confirmed that a US team was operating in the country, but declined to provide further details.

A former US official said the team appeared to be heavily involved in intelligence gathering and in supporting Nigerian forces in carrying out strikes against groups linked to terrorism.

Nigeria has recently faced growing pressure from Washington after President Trump accused the West African nation of failing to protect Christian communities from Islamist militants active in the northwest of the country.

The Nigerian government has rejected claims of systematic persecution of Christians, stating that its security forces are targeting Islamist fighters and other armed groups that attack both Christian and Muslim civilians.

Meanwhile, militants from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have stepped up attacks on military convoys and civilians. The northwest region remains the centre of Nigeria’s 17-year Islamist insurgency.

AFRICOM said the recent US airstrike was carried out in Sokoto state in coordination with Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of several ISIS militants.

The operation followed warnings by Trump in late October that Christianity was facing what he called an “existential threat” in Nigeria. He had also threatened possible US military intervention over what he described as the government’s failure to halt violence targeting Christian communities.

By Tamilla Hasanova