Why US is withdrawing 200 troops from Nigeria

The Nigerian military says the planned withdrawal of United States troops from Nigeria does not signal a breakdown of bilateral security cooperation between both countries.

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Samaila Uba, the spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, spoke on Tuesday while responding to questions from journalists at a security briefing organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

The military spokesperson said he had received numerous inquiries from journalists seeking clarification on the matter. He noted that he had already prepared a statement and would use the opportunity provided by the forum to deliver it.

The New York Times reported the planned withdrawal last week. However, in July, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson, stated that “much of our forces” have been “withdrawn.”

“They are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary,” Mr Anderson added.

Nigerian military explains

Mr Uba, a major general, described the move as a routine adjustment tied to specific operational objectives rather than a termination of bilateral defence relations.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to clarify that the reported withdrawal of about 200 United States personnel should not be interpreted as a breakdown or termination of the Nigeria-United States security partnership,” Mr Uba said.

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He said the defence relationship between Nigeria and the United States remains “strong, enduring, and mutually beneficial.”

According to him, the deployment of US personnel was linked to specific operational and counter-terrorism missions, making the drawdown part of the evolving nature of military cooperation.

He added that key aspects of the partnership, including intelligence cooperation, military training and information sharing, remain in place.

“Our cooperation with the United States is designed to strengthen our capabilities through intelligence sharing, training, technical assistance and other forms of professional military cooperation,” he said.

The military spokesperson maintained that responsibility for defending Nigeria rests primarily with Nigerian security forces, while foreign partnerships are intended to enhance local capabilities.

He noted that the Nigeria-US security partnership has continued to produce valuable results in combating terrorism and other transnational security threats, adding that cooperation in areas of mutual interest would continue.

Mr Uba also urged journalists and the public not to misinterpret the troop drawdown.

“We equally call on the media and the Nigerian public to avoid interpreting a routine or mission-specific adjustment in foreign military presence as evidence of a collapse in Nigeria’s security cooperation or national defence capability,” he said.

Background

The deployment of the troops started with what the US described as a “small team” in early February, following a mutual agreement between the United States and the Nigerian government that was reached after the US launched an attack against suspected ISIS fighters, which US President Donald Trump claimed were targeting Christians.

The agreement aimed to strengthen efforts against terrorists in the West African country. By mid-February, PREMIUM TIMES reported that about 200 US troops had been deployed to north-east Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Nigerian military conducts 7,062 operations, kills 1,487 terrorists

While Nigerians raised questions about the involvement of foreign forces in internal security affairs, military authorities explained that the US forces will not participate in direct combat operations.

At the time of their deployment, Mr Uba said the US troops will only provide military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support and strategic dialogue aimed at addressing shared security concerns, including terrorism and transnational threats.

However, the troops later engaged in a combat operation in conjunction with Nigerian soldiers, killing a top commander of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other terrorists in the North-east.

The troops’ operations are believed to have been focused on the North-east, particularly the Boko Haram-ravaged Borno State.