U.S. Confirms Troops on Ground in Nigeria in Expanded Counter-ISIS Effort

The United States has deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria as part of a broader push against Islamic State (ISIS) affiliates in West Africa, the head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, confirmed on Tuesday.

The disclosure marks the first public confirmation of American personnel operating on Nigerian soil since U.S. airstrikes were carried out on Christmas Day against what Washington described as ISIS targets.

President Donald Trump ordered the strikes in December and indicated that further U.S. military action in Nigeria remains possible. Reuters had earlier reported that U.S. surveillance flights over Nigeria had been operating out of Ghana since at least late November.

General Anderson said the deployment followed discussions between Washington and Abuja on the need for closer coordination to address escalating terrorist threats in the region.

“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations, to include a small U.S. team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” Anderson told journalists during a briefing.

He did not disclose the size of the team or the specific scope of its mission.

Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, also acknowledged the presence of a U.S. team but provided no operational details. A former U.S. official, however, said the Americans are believed to be focused largely on intelligence gathering and supporting Nigerian forces targeting extremist groups.

The development comes amid increased pressure from Washington. President Trump has repeatedly accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christian communities from attacks by armed groups in the northwest. The Nigerian government has rejected claims of systematic persecution, stating that security forces are confronting militants who target both Christians and Muslims.

Insurgent groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have stepped up attacks on military convoys and civilians. The northwest remains a key theatre in the long-running Islamist insurgency.

AFRICOM said the recent airstrike in Sokoto State, conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities, killed multiple ISIS fighters.

In recent months, President Trump has warned that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and signaled a willingness to intervene militarily if the violence is not contained.