Three U.S Military Jets Carrying Troops and Weapons Arrive in Nigeria

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Three United States aircraft carrying troops and equipment have reportedly landed in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, signaling the beginning of a joint US-Nigeria advisory operation. The New York Times reported that the first plane touched down Thursday night, with about 100 US troops expected to arrive over the weekend.

By Friday evening, all three planes had landed, and equipment was being offloaded from one of them.

The C-17 cargo flights are part of a series transporting personnel and gear to multiple sites across Nigeria.

More flights are planned in the coming weeks. Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, clarified that the US forces will not participate in combat, serving only in advisory roles while Nigerian forces maintain full command and lead all operations.

The deployment follows recommendations from a US-Nigeria joint working group and focuses on advisory support, base security, and operational coordination.

US personnel will operate mainly from command centers and assist Nigerian forces in establishing secure communications and infrastructure.

The mission targets northern states affected by jihadist groups like Boko Haram and parts of the Middle Belt experiencing resource-based conflicts between Fulani herders and Christian farmers.

It builds on previous cooperation, including US-supported airstrikes on Islamist militants last Christmas and ongoing training of Nigerian special operations units in combat, navigation, and rescue operations.