By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
EXPANDED MILITARY cooperation between Washington and Abuja has led to the deployment of a small United States (US) military team to Nigeria to address terrorism and related security threats, the US military confirmed.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, Commander of US-Africa Command, said on Tuesday that both countries agreed on the need for closer collaboration to bolster counter terrorism operations.
He said the agreement resulted in the presence of a limited contingent with specialised support.
“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” Anderson said.
However, he did not disclose the size of the team or details of its mission.
US officials said the deployed personnel focus heavily on intelligence gathering and support to Nigerian forces in their fight against terrorist affiliated groups.
Speaking, Nigerian Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, separately confirmed that a United States team is operating in the country and declined to provide further specifics.
The confirmation follows action ordered by US President Donald Trump, who directed airstrikes on what he described as Islamic State targets in Nigeria in December and said further US military action could follow.
The US military’s Africa Command said a strike carried out in Sokoto state in coordination with Nigerian authorities killed multiple ISIS militants.
The US said it had conducted surveillance flights over Nigeria from Ghana since at least late November.
Officials described the deployment as the first official acknowledgement of US forces on the ground in Nigeria since airstrikes conducted at the end of December.
US Nigeria talks in Rome with President Bola Tinubu preceded the confirmation, according to AFRICOM.
The team provides intelligence sharing to help target Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram during a 17-year insurgency marked by rising attacks.
Prior to now, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province fighters have intensified attacks on military convoys and civilians, with the northwest remaining the epicentre of the insurgency.
Also, Nigeria has faced pressure from Washington after President Trump accused the country of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the Nigerian government denied any systematic persecution and said it targets Islamist fighters and other armed groups attacking both Christian and Muslim civilians.
