Defence spokesman addresses arrival of US troops in Nigeria

Defence spokesman Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba has clarified the role of the first batch of U.S. military personnel in Nigeria following their arrival to assist Nigerian forces in targeted counterterrorism operations.

The deployment of about 200 American intelligence analysts, advisers, and trainers to protect Christians was confirmed by officials on Friday after a U.S. military plane landed in Maiduguri on Thursday night.

According to officials, the first wave of about 100 troops will steadily arrive over the weekend, with several additional aircraft carrying troops and equipment expected in the coming weeks.

Speaking on the development, Gen. Uba disclosed that the troops would focus on training and technical matters.

“These personnel do not serve in a combat capacity and will not assume a direct operational role.

“Nigerian forces retain full command authority, make all operational decisions and will lead all missions on Nigerian sovereign territory,” he stated.

The non-combat focus of the troops was confirmed by a U.S. Defence Department official, who added that the Americans will operate primarily from command posts.

Reports reveal that the combined U.S. and Nigerian forces will build joint mission planning capabilities, using intelligence from both sides, including U.S. surveillance flights from Ghana.

Furthermore, the Pentagon stated that the mission was temporary, expected to last a few months, while successful operations could lead to further deployments.