Around 100 U.S. troops and military equipment arrived in Nigeria Monday to help support local forces battling Islamic militants and other armed groups in the West African nation, the Nigerian military said.
The U.S. personnel touched down as part of a broader security cooperation effort between Washington and Abuja with 100 more arriving over time.
The arrival came at the request of the Nigerian government, which sought assistance with training, technical support and intelligence sharing as it confronts violence, the senior U.S. Africa Command officials to Abuja to reinforce military-to-military ties and expand counterterrorism cooperation.
On Feb. 8, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu met with a high-level U.S. delegation led by U.S. Africa Command commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson at the State House in Abuja, according to tensions between Washington and Abuja have eased following earlier friction over religious violence and civilian protection.
President Donald Trump had previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from what he described as a genocide, citing attacks by extremist groups and armed bandits.
Trump ordered airstrikes on Dec. 25 targeting Islamic State militants and said they were responsible for killing Christians.
Africom conducted strikes in Sokoto State in northwest Nigeria targeting what it described as Islamic State terrorists and said they were coordinated with Nigerian authorities.
"The United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social at the time.