U.S. Sends Military To Nigeria After Strikes On ISIL

• 4.02.2026, 10:46

The U.S. team has arrived in the country and has already begun its tasks.

The US has sent a "small group" of troops to Nigeria who can help Nigerian forces fight terrorist groups, including the Islamic State (ISIS), writes Reuters. The dispatch of fighters was announced by General Dagwin Anderson, who heads the US command in Africa. He said the arrival of the US military contingent in Nigeria was made possible after the two countries agreed on the need to counter the terrorist threat in West Africa. He said the military "has unique capabilities" but did not provide further details on the scope and nature of their mission.

Nigeria's Defense Minister Christopher Musa confirmed that the U.S. team had arrived in the country and had already begun tasks. However, he also did not give details about the mission of the US military. A former U.S. official speaking to Reuters speculated that the group may be involved in intelligence gathering and ensuring the capability of Nigerian forces to strike terrorist-linked groups. The dispatch of the U.S. military contingent to Nigeria came after Washington stepped up pressure on Abuja, accusing the country's authorities of failing to protect Christians from Islamic militants. On December 25, Catholic Christmas Day, the US military launched a "powerful and deadly" strike against ISIS terrorists in northwestern Nigeria, US President Donald Trump claimed.

"Earlier, I warned these terrorists that if they didn't stop massacring Christians, they would have to pay a hell of a price - and tonight it happened," the White House chief said. At the same time, as The Washington Post wrote, the US forces used 16 Tomahawk missiles worth about $30 million for the strike, which was disproportionate to the threat from the few militant groups.

Before that, Trump instructed the Pentagon to prepare a plan of action against Islamists in Nigeria. He also warned that the US could enter the country "fully armed to completely destroy the Islamic terrorists who are committing terrible atrocities" against Christians. Nigeria is officially a secular state, but its population is divided between Muslims (53%) and Christians (45%), the Guardian notes. Religious clashes have been taking place in the country since the 1950s. The largest extremist group, Boko Haram, which is part of ISIS, has been attacking Christian churches and police stations, seeking to establish an Islamic state in the northern part of the country.