US troops deployed to Nigeria won’t join combat operations – DHQ
The Defence headquarters (DHQ) has revealed that about 200 United States troops expected in Nigeria in the coming weeks will not participate in combat operations, adding that Nigerian forces will retain full control over all security decisions.
The clarification follows comments by a US official that the Pentagon plans to deploy the troops to train Nigerian forces battling Islamist militants, weeks after President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on what he described as Islamic State targets.
Last week, the US military confirmed it had sent a small team to Nigeria, without providing further details, marking Washington’s first public acknowledgement of personnel on the ground since the Christmas Day strikes.
Maj-Gen Samaila Uba, spokesperson for the DHQ, told Reuters that the Nigerian government requested the US presence to provide technical training and advisory support at multiple locations.
His words: “These personnel do not serve in a combat capacity and will not assume a direct operational role.
“Nigerian forces retain full command authority, make all operational decisions, and will lead all missions on Nigerian sovereign territory.”
Uba declined to disclose the exact arrival date of the troops but said the deployment is part of ongoing cooperation under the US-Nigeria joint working group.
The development comes amid increased diplomatic and security engagement between Abuja and Washington after Trump accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants in the north-west.
Nigeria has rejected allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that its security agencies target armed groups attacking both Christians and Muslims.
