No fewer than three United States military aircraft landed in Nigeria between Thursday and Friday, delivering ammunition and equipment to bases in Borno and other northeastern states, senior Defence Headquarters officers have disclosed.
The officers said the deliveries were part of ongoing Nigeria–US security cooperation aimed at tackling insurgency. One source noted that the support followed bilateral security talks and included logistics assistance to replenish ammunition used in operations.
Aircraft were sighted at Maiduguri Airbase, while reports indicated additional transport planes arrived in Kaduna, fuelling speculation that the Kaduna Depot may serve as a training hub for US personnel working with Nigerian forces.
The development comes amid deepening security engagement between both countries under US President Donald Trump, who in 2025 threatened military action if Nigeria failed to curb attacks on Christians.
According to The New York Times, the deployment marks the beginning of the arrival of about 200 American intelligence analysts, advisers and trainers to assist Nigeria’s armed forces in counterterrorism operations.
Security experts, however, clarified that the US personnel are not combat troops but technical advisers expected to provide training, intelligence and drone expertise to strengthen Nigeria’s operational capacity.
