The Nigerian government has confirmed the arrival of approximately 100 US military personnel at Bauchi airfield to provide advisory and technical support in the fight against militants. The deployment of the contingent took place at the request of official Abuja after a series of attacks by Islamist groups that caused significant casualties. This is reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
The main functions of the American advisors will be to train Nigerian special forces units, exchange intelligence data, and provide technical assistance in using modern systems for detecting terrorist threats.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters emphasized that foreign military personnel will work exclusively from command centers, focusing on neutralizing extremist cells that destabilize the northern regions. In total, it is expected that the total number of American personnel within this mission may increase to 200 people in the coming weeks.
The arrival of the contingent is a planned and deliberate step in response to the official request from the Nigerian government for support in training and intelligence sharing. This cooperation will give us access to specialized technical capabilities to protect vulnerable communities across the country.
The Nigerian side emphasizes that American assistance is critically important, but insists on fully maintaining its own command over all operations.
We need massive support from the US government in the form of fighter jets and ammunition, but American personnel will not perform combat missions and will not take on a direct operational role.