The United States is currently making plans to send 200 troops to Nigeria, according to New York Times.
This is in addition to the special forces that are already on ground to help Nigeria tackle its war against insecurity.
Last week, the Commander of the United States Africa Command, Gen Dagvin R. Anderson, confirmed that a US team of experts had been dispatched to Nigeria.
He had said, “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.
That has led to increased collaboration between our nations, including a small US team that brings unique capabilities from the United States to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years.”
In its latest report, The New York Times said the yet to be dispatched troops would assist to train Nigerians to fight militants, but will not be involved in combat.”
The U.S. troops will be assigned to locations across Nigeria to provide training and technical expertise,” a U.S. official was quoted to have said.
The troops will augment a small team of U.S. forces who have been in the West African nation for weeks assisting local soldiers with identifying potential terrorist targets for strikes using American and Nigerian intelligence.”
America took special interest in Nigeria after President Donald Trump redesignated the most populous black nation on earth a Country of Particular Concern late last year.
The American leader, who threatened to invade Nigeria over alleged religious persecution, had directed Pentagon to prepare for possible action in Nigeria.
While denying the allegation, President Bola Tinubu had sent a high-powered delegation led by National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, to Washington.
An American delegation led by Congressman Riley Moore, whom Trump had tasked with probing the alleged genocide against Christians, visited Nigeria in December and had one-on-one encounter with victims of insecurity. The height of the collaboration between Nigeria and America was the Christmas Day bombing of ISIS targets in Sokoto State.
This happened after U.S. surveillance planes from Ghana flew over contested Nigerian territory and relay data to teams of American and Nigerian military analysts drawing up potential terrorist targets for strikes.
Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, the head of the military’s Africa Command, met with senior Nigerian officials this month. His deputy, Lt. Gen. John Brennan, was in Nigeria’s capital last month to announce a closer military partnership between the two nations.
President Tinubu also hosted top US security officials at Aso Rock last week.
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