Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of U.S. Africa Command, visited the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 11, 2025. On Feb. 3, 2026, he confirmed that a team of U.S. military specialists has been deployed to Nigeria to assist the country in its fight against Islamic militants. (Photo: Elizabeth Bukowski/U.S. Army War College)
STUTTGART, Germany — A team of U.S. military specialists has been deployed to Nigeria to support the country’s fight against Islamic militants, the top U.S. commander for Africa said Tuesday.
Gen. Dagvin Anderson of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the deployment followed recent talks in Rome with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who in late December approved American airstrikes targeting Islamic militants in Nigeria.
Speaking during a virtual news conference from AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Anderson said he and Tinubu agreed that both countries needed to coordinate their efforts in West Africa.
“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations, including a small U.S. team that brings unique capabilities to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years,” Anderson said. “I think we’ve seen some really good, positive movement there.”
He did not provide details on the composition of the U.S. team or the specific capabilities being deployed. The announcement comes amid growing concern over Islamic militants expanding their influence in West Africa.
In Nigeria, where insurgencies have long plagued the northern regions, attacks targeting Christians have drawn attention from former President Donald Trump. Following the Christmas Day strikes, Trump said in a statement: “I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.”
Nigerian Navy and police personnel, together with U.S. Coast Guard and Army members, conduct training in Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 25, 2023. On Tuesday, Gen. Dagvin Anderson of U.S. Africa Command confirmed that a team of U.S. military specialists has been deployed to Nigeria to assist in its fight against Islamic militants.
The security situation in Nigeria remains complex. While militants have frequently targeted Christians in the north, Muslims have also suffered attacks, according to security analysts. Groups such as Boko Haram, alongside ISIS and al-Qaida affiliates, have caused widespread devastation in the country for years.
The wider region has long been a focus of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), even before the recent strikes in Nigeria. Neighboring Niger had previously served as a hub for U.S. military operations in West Africa, but AFRICOM was forced to abandon its bases there in 2024 following a coup the previous year.
Anderson did not comment on whether the loss of these bases has hindered regional security efforts. He emphasized, however, that AFRICOM’s counterterrorism strategy focuses on coordination with a wide range of partners across the continent.
As an example of recent progress, Anderson highlighted counterterrorism efforts in Somalia, where the Islamic State has become the country’s second major terrorist organization, operating alongside the al-Qaida-aligned al-Shabab, which has been active for two decades.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Keith Smith observes Somali Danab soldiers during urban operations training in Nanyuki, Kenya, on Feb. 28, 2024. AFRICOM’s top commander cited the counterterrorism campaign in Somalia as an example of recent progress across Africa.
ISIS fighters in a remote mountain range in northern Somalia have been frequent targets of AFRICOM airstrikes. According to Gen. Dagvin Anderson, the combination of airstrikes, surveillance, and logistical support has allowed AFRICOM’s Somali partners to launch an effective offensive against the insurgents.
“It’s collapsed the area that ISIS has been able to operate in … and is quite literally keeping them and ISIS leadership underground,” Anderson said. On Friday, AFRICOM carried out its most recent strike against ISIS-Somalia.