United States military cargo aircraft have begun landing in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and epicentre of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations, marking the start of an expanded phase of security cooperation between Washington and Abuja.
Defence sources confirmed that multiple U.S. Air Force transport planes delivered ammunition, military equipment and advance personnel to Nigerian bases in the North-East between Thursday and Friday. The airlifts are part of a coordinated logistics and training support package agreed after recent bilateral security consultations between both countries.
Officials said the flights represent the opening phase of sustained American military support, with additional aircraft expected to shuttle supplies and personnel into designated Nigerian military locations in the coming weeks.
The deployment also includes about 200 U.S. military personnel comprising intelligence analysts, trainers and advisers tasked with supporting Nigerian forces battling Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other armed groups across the Lake Chad basin. Nigerian authorities stressed that the American contingent would operate strictly in training and advisory roles, without direct combat engagement, while operational command remains with the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Maiduguri hosts the headquarters of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism theatre command and has borne the brunt of over a decade of insurgency, making it the focal point of the renewed partnership. Security officials said the support is intended to bolster ammunition stocks, enhance battlefield intelligence and improve operational coordination as Nigerian troops intensify offensives against militant strongholds in the North-East.
The aircraft landings underscore what analysts describe as the most significant deepening of U.S.–Nigeria military ties in years, following recent joint security initiatives and expanded defence commitments by Washington to assist Nigeria and regional partners confronting jihadist violence spreading across the Sahel and West Africa.
Authorities in Abuja say the cooperation is being coordinated through Nigeria’s national security architecture and defence institutions, and is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to restore stability in insurgency-affected regions.
The arrival of U.S. military aircraft and personnel in Maiduguri signals a new phase in Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign, with both countries positioning the partnership as a strategic effort to contain extremist threats and reinforce regional security.
Abuja Network News
Tags
News