Adedokun Waliyu 
The United States will deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s military as it continues to battle insurgents across parts of its northern region.
According to Reuters, a US official said the troops will reinforce a small number of American military personnel already stationed in Nigeria.
The deployment follows strengthened security cooperation between both countries after US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over claims of Christian genocide.
Last week, Dagvin Anderson, commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), visited Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
He was received by President Bola Tinubu, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Minister of Defence Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Army Staff Waidi Shaibu and other senior security officials.
During the visit, both sides discussed shared security priorities, particularly efforts to counter terrorist organisations that threaten Nigeria, the United States, the wider region and global security.
Anderson disclosed that US forces had already been deployed to Nigeria under an expanded bilateral agreement aimed at tackling terrorism and related security threats, though he did not specify the exact number of personnel currently on ground.
He said the troops would focus primarily on intelligence gathering and providing support to Nigerian forces.
On Christmas Day, the United States carried out missile strikes on two terrorist enclaves in the Bauni forest in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the “precision hits” resulted from intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between both countries, in line with established international practice and bilateral understanding.
