First batch of US troops, military aircraft touch down in Nigeria

Defence minister, Musa

Five US military aircraft and the first batch of United States troops arrived in north-east Nigeria ahead of a joint offensive against ISWAP terrorists in the region.

The New York Times reports that a US military aircraft touched down in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on Thursday night.

By Friday evening, three aircraft were visible at the base, with equipment being offloaded from at least one of them.

According to Brant Philip, a counter-terrorism researcher and expert, the military aircraft touched down in air force bases across Nigeria’s northern region over the past few days.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported that the United States would send 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s military, as the West African nation battles insurgents across swathes of its territory.

A US official said the troops would supplement a handful of United States military personnel already on the ground in Nigeria.

The deployment follows increased security partnership between both nations since US President Donald Trump  Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over Christian genocide claims.