The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced the arrival of approximately 100 United States military personnel and associated equipment at Bauchi Airfield to support the Nigerian Armed Forces in specialised training and intelligence cooperation.
According to the statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the deployment follows deliberations between a Nigerian delegation and its US counterparts during a bilateral working group engagement. The move was initiated after a formal request by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the United States government for support in clearly defined areas of military training, technical assistance and intelligence sharing.
The collaboration is aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s operational capacity to deter terrorist threats and improve the protection of vulnerable communities nationwide.
Military authorities clarified that the US personnel are technical specialists serving strictly in advisory and training roles, and are not combat troops. All activities, the DHQ stated, will be conducted under the authority, direction and control of the Nigerian government, in close coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Nigerian troops are expected to commence a series of joint training engagements and intelligence-focused cooperation initiatives alongside the US advisers. The programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian forces to identify, disrupt and neutralise extremist groups seeking to destabilise the country.
Reaffirming its commitment to national security, the Armed Forces of Nigeria said it remains resolute in degrading and defeating terrorist organisations that threaten the nation’s sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.
The DHQ assured Nigerians of continued transparency, pledging to provide clear and timely information regarding ongoing military cooperation efforts.
