No fewer than three United States military aircraft landed in Nigeria between Thursday and Friday, carrying ammunition sent to Nigeria by the American government as part of US interventions to support the country’s fight against insecurity.
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Senior officers at the Defence Headquarters disclosed that the development was part of US interventions following Nigeria-US bilateral talks on security.
In separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH correspondents, the officers said the American government would not only deploy soldiers but also provide necessary logistics, including ammunition, to fight insurgents.
“Following Nigeria-US bilateral talks on security, the American government will not only deploy soldiers but also provide necessary logistics, including ammunition, to fight the insurgents,” one of the officers who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Another high-ranking officer explained that the delivery was part of operational logistics, noting that the military often requires replenishment of ammunition after operations.
“I know that recently US aircraft came to supply ammunition for our platforms, and that wasn’t the first time. So, what you are saying may be true, though I have not been officially briefed.
“We go for operations and use different calibres of ammunition, which need to be replaced.
“The US and the Nigerian government, under the coordination of the NSA, are working together to end insecurity in the country. So, we should expect more deployments of aircraft and troops,” he added.
The New York Times on Saturday reported that US military aircraft landed in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Thursday night.
By Friday evening, the paper reported that three planes could be seen at the base, with equipment being offloaded from one.
“These initial flights are the vanguard of what will be a stream of C-17 transport flights into three main locations across Nigeria,” a US Department of Defense official told the newspaper.
An X account @mobilisingniger, operated by a user who claimed to be a counter-terrorism expert, also disclosed on Friday that a US Air Force military transport aircraft C-130J landed at the Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana.
It suggested that the Kaduna Depot might serve as a potential training hub for US personnel deployed to train the Nigerian military.
“A US Air Force military transport aircraft C30J has landed at Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana earlier this (Friday) evening. The movement is fuelling speculation that US personnel may utilise the Kaduna Depot as a potential training hub in collaboration with the Nigerian military. This signals a potential deepening of US–Nigeria security engagement amid ongoing regional security challenges,” the post read.
Another user, Brant Philip, who claimed to be a tracker on X, said there had been a “massive delivery of equipment” to the Maiduguri Airbase, Borno State.
“The US Air Force C-130J-30 cargo aircraft flew to northeast Nigeria today (Friday) from Accra, Ghana, following the same route as the two previous C-17A, a mass delivery of equipment seems to be ongoing,” he wrote.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, had yet to respond to an inquiry on the matter as of the time of filing this report.
The New York Times reported that the first wave of personnel had arrived in the country, marking the beginning of a deployment of 200 American intelligence analysts, advisers and trainers to assist the country’s armed forces in targeted counterterrorism operations, partly aimed at protecting Nigerian Christians.
The New York Times further disclosed that several additional aircraft carrying troops and equipment were expected to land over the weekend, with the flow continuing in the coming weeks.
United States President Donald Trump had in 2025 declared that he would send military forces to Nigeria if the government failed to stop what he described as genocide against Christians.
Following his threat and the declaration of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, the US carried out an airstrike on Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State on Christmas Day.
Both the US and Nigeria have since deepened engagements on enhancing security in the country.
Reacting to the development, a retired officer of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, Chris Andrew, said the reported arrival of US personnel should not be misconstrued as a combat deployment.
According to him, the Americans were not bringing fighting troops but technical expertise, particularly in drone operations and precision air capabilities.
“It is what it is—nothing more, nothing less. They are not bringing combat troops. Recently, Nigeria has been engaging countries like Turkey and others on drone technology. We already operate locally made drones and Chinese-made drones, but when it comes to advanced drone technology, the West—especially the United States—has the capacity to train us effectively,” Andrew said.
He noted that Nigeria’s recent air operations had shown significant improvement following engagements with the United States, particularly after the Christmas Day bombardment of terrorist hideouts.
“They did not buy us aircraft or attack helicopters. What they are doing is teaching us how to carry out operations with precision,” he said.
Andrew also disclosed that he had heard the US might establish a drone base in Nigeria, a move he described as long overdue, especially following the withdrawal of American forces from Niger.
“With the exit of the United States from Niger, which hosted their drone base, I expected Nigeria to seize that opportunity. Some people ask what the US wants in return, but that is not the issue. The issue is terrorism. Even if they want everything in return, at least they are helping to solve one major problem,” he said.
He added that if he were advising the government, he would support relocating such a facility to the Sambisa Forest, arguing that its presence would significantly deter terrorist activities.
Also speaking, a security expert, Chidi Omeje, described the development as a success of Nigeria’s soft diplomacy.
According to him, failure to properly engage the United States could have been diplomatically damaging for Nigeria.
“It would have been humiliating if Nigeria had not engaged properly. I am glad the government remained calm and turned the initial aggression from the Trump-era rhetoric into partnership and mutual respect,” Omeje said.
He said the bilateral discussions must have clearly defined the scope of the US deployment, stressing that any support that enhances Nigeria’s capacity should be welcomed.
“If it is training, intelligence support or technology-driven intelligence, whatever increases our capacity and helps our troops do their job is welcome.”
However, Omeje cautioned that Nigeria must retain full sovereignty over any cooperation.
“What would not be acceptable is humiliation—foreign troops operating without our consent or bombs being dropped on our territory without approval,” he said.
He added that Nigerians bearing the brunt of terrorism, banditry and insurgency were more concerned about solutions than the method.
“If this partnership helps us stamp out terrorism and violent crime, then it is acceptable. People at the receiving end just want their lives back,” he said.
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