NIGERIA – US army deployment to Nigeria, including weapons, begun on Thursday, with the first batch arriving in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.

Officials within Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters said that about 100 US troops arrived in Nigeria between Thursday and Sunday, as part of an initial deployment, with additional flights scheduled in the coming weeks.

“As said last week, the American troops would focus on non-combat functions and operate primarily from command centers. Their job is to support our efforts here,” an official who spoke on condition of anonymity said on Monday.

In comments previously reported by Anadolu, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, spokesperson for the Nigerian Defense Headquarters, explained that US personnel “do not serve in a combat capacity and will not assume a direct operational role.”

The development comes amid renewed pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has criticized Nigeria’s handling of attacks targeting Christian communities. While Christian communities have suffered deadly assaults, Muslim civilians and others have also been killed in significant numbers in ongoing violence.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has also intensified domestic security measures, as army authorities announced the deployment of special forces to Plateau and Taraba states, which have experienced recurring violence.

While Nigerian officials did not specify the duration of the US presence, American authorities have indicated that the deployment is intended to be temporary.