BREAKING: U.S. Deploys Military Team to Nigeria after Recent Attack

• The United States has deployed a small team of military officers to Nigeria to strengthen security cooperation, AFRICOM commander General Dagvin Anderson has said, citing growing collaboration between both countries.

The United States has deployed a small team of military officers to Nigeria as part of growing security cooperation between both countries, the head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has confirmed.

Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, AFRICOM Commander, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, said the deployment followed a meeting he held with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rome late last year. According to him, the discussions paved the way for deeper collaboration between Washington and Abuja.

General Anderson explained that the U.S. personnel were sent to support Nigeria’s ongoing security efforts, noting that the team brings “unique capabilities” intended to complement what Nigerian forces have been doing for several years. He did not disclose the exact size of the team or when it arrived in the country.

The deployment comes amid heightened diplomatic and security engagement between the two nations. Relations had earlier been strained following allegations by former U.S. President Donald Trump that Nigeria was not doing enough to protect its Christian population, leading to Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern by the U.S. Congress. Nigerian authorities strongly rejected the claims, insisting that armed groups target citizens regardless of religious affiliation.

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Despite the diplomatic tensions, military cooperation has expanded. The United States has supplied Nigeria with military equipment and conducted reconnaissance missions, while also carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State-linked fighters in the region in December last year.

Nigeria continues to battle multiple armed groups across different regions, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). In recent weeks, renewed attacks in parts of the country have underscored the persistent security challenges facing Africa’s most populous nation.