The United States will send 200 troops to Nigeria to train its military as the country confronts terrorists in large parts of its northern region.

The troops would support a small number of US military personnel now stationed in Nigeria, a US official told Reuters.

Following US President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” because to allegations of Christian genocide, the deployment would come after a strengthened security collaboration between the two countries.

The chief of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson, travelled to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, last week.

Anderson was welcomed by President Bola Tinubu, Nuhu Ribadu, national security advisor (NSA); Christopher Musa, minister of defence; Olufemi Oluyede, head of defence staff; Waidi Shaibu, chief of army staff; and other senior security officials.

Shared security goals were discussed, with an emphasis on combatting terrorist organisations that pose a danger to Nigeria, the United States, the region, and global security.

Anderson stated that the US military has already deployed some personnel in Nigeria as part of an enlarged bilateral agreement to combat terrorism and other security challenges, but he did not specify the precise number of the cavalry.

He stated that the troops’ primary mission will be to gather intelligence and provide support to local forces.

On Christmas Day, the United States launched missile attacks against two terrorist strongholds in Bauni woodland in Tangaza LGA, Sokoto state.

According to Nigeria’s ministry of foreign affairs, the “precision hits” were the result of intelligence exchange and strategic coordination between the two nations, and were consistent with “established international practice and bilateral understanding”.