U.S. supports Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts with delivery of ‘critical’ military supplies

By: Chidozie Nwali

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said on Tuesday that U.S. forces have delivered a new batch of critical military supplies to the Nigerian government.

The delivery, which arrived in the capital city of Abuja, is the latest move in a rapidly evolving security partnership between Washington and Abuja as Nigeria intensifies its fight against Islamist insurgents and criminal bandits.

“U.S. forces delivered critical military supplies to our Nigerian partners in Abuja. This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasizes our shared security partnership.” AFRICOM said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Meanwhile, the  delivery follows a dramatic series of events that began in late 2025.

Last Christmas, U.S. forces conducted “symbolic” but deadly airstrikes against an ISIS-linked base in Sokoto State. President Donald Trump described the operation as a “Christmas present” to terrorists, marking the first time in years the U.S. has taken such direct military action on Nigerian soil.

The hardware delivery is the direct result of last November’s mission to Washington led by Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The delegation, which included the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police, met with White House and State Department officials to repair a relationship strained by human rights designations.

The aid comes despite the U.S. recently redesignating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom. While President Trump has been vocal about the “mass slaughter” of Christians in Nigeria—a claim the Tinubu administration has strongly disputed as a misrepresentation of a complex conflict—the U.S. administration has simultaneously signaled its intent to use “maximum force” against the extremists responsible.

Nigeria has been battling a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram and ISWAP in the Northeast, as well as a surge in “banditry” and mass kidnappings in the Northwest.

A Joint Working Group between the two nations is expected to meet in the coming weeks to oversee the deployment of these new assets. However, the influx of equipment may signal a larger U.S.-backed offensive planned for the 2026 dry season.