No fewer than three United States military aircraft reportedly landed in Nigeria between Thursday and Friday.
the aircraft touched down at military facilities in Borno and other states in the North-East as part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
According to Punch, senior officers at the Defence Headquarters disclosed that the aircraft conveyed ammunition supplied by the American government to support Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations.
The officers, who spoke in separate interviews, said the development followed bilateral engagements between Nigeria and the US on security collaboration.
“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 requested anonymity, said.
Another senior officer described the delivery as part of routine operational logistics, noting that ammunition often needs replenishment after military 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.
C-17 Transport Flights Land In Three Locations
A report by The New York Times on Saturday (yesterday) stated that US military aircraft landed in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Thursday night.
By Friday evening, three planes were reportedly sighted at the base, with equipment being offloaded from one of them.
“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 Defence official was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, a post on 𝕏 by a counter terrorism reporter [@mobilisingniger] claimed that a US Air Force C-30J transport aircraft landed at Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana.
The post suggested the Kaduna Depot could serve as a training hub for US personnel collaborating with 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 𝕏 user, Brant Philip, who described himself as a tracker, claimed there had been a “massive delivery of equipment” to the Maiduguri Airbase.
“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.
However, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, had yet to respond to inquiries on the development as of the time of filing this report,
Recall that the United States President, Donald Trump, had in 2025 indicated that he would send military forces to Nigeria if the government failed to halt what he described as genocide against Christians.
Following the declaration of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, the US later carried out an airstrike on Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State on Christmas Day.
Both countries have since intensified cooperation on security.
Earlier reports indicated that about 200 US officers would be deployed to Nigeria, with the first batch already arriving in the country.
The New York Times said the deployment marked the beginning of a broader mission involving American intelligence analysts, advisers and trainers working with Nigerian forces on targeted counter-terrorism operations, partly aimed at protecting vulnerable communities.
The newspaper further disclosed that additional aircraft conveying troops and equipment were expected to arrive over the weekend, with more deployments anticipated in the coming weeks.
US Military Bringing Expertise, Not Combat Troops – Experts
Naija News reports that Security and defence experts have weighed in on the reported arrival of United States military personnel and aircraft in Nigeria, saying the move should be viewed as technical support rather than a combat deployment.
A retired officer of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, Chris Andrew, said the Americans were bringing specialised expertise, particularly in drone operations and precision air capabilities, and not frontline fighters.
“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,” he said.
Andrew noted that Nigeria’s recent air operations had improved following engagements with the United States, especially 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 added.
The retired officer also hinted at the possibility of the US establishing a drone base in Nigeria, describing the move as long overdue, particularly after the withdrawal of American forces from neighbouring 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 given the opportunity to advise the government, he would recommend siting such a facility in the Sambisa Forest, noting that its presence could significantly deter terrorist activities.
‘Soft Diplomacy Paying Off’
Also speaking, a security expert, Chidi Omeje, described the development as a product of Nigeria’s soft diplomacy and strategic engagement with Washington.
“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,” he said.
Omeje stressed that the bilateral discussions must have clearly defined the scope of US involvement, adding that any support that strengthens Nigeria’s operational capacity should be embraced.
“If it is training, intelligence support or technology-driven intelligence, whatever increases our capacity and helps our troops do their job is welcome,” he said.
Sovereignty concerns raised
The analyst, however, cautioned that Nigeria must maintain full sovereignty in any military 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 affected by terrorism, banditry and insurgency were primarily concerned about practical solutions.
“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,” Omeje stated.
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