President Bola Tinubu has received a delegation from the United States led by the Commander of the United States Africa Command.
In a statement on Sunday by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, the President welcomed the visitors alongside his National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and service chiefs.
The delegation included Commander of USAFRICOM, General Dagvin R. Anderson, his team, and the Charge d’Affairs of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern. The meeting took place at the State House, Abuja.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside his National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and service chiefs, received in Audience the Commander of General Dagvin Anderson, his team, and the Charge d’Affaires U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern, at the State House,” the statement reads.
The meeting follows reports that the United States deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria on February 3, marking the first official U.S. military presence on the ground since airstrikes targeted terrorist positions in the country on Christmas Day 2025.
The deployment comes after President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on what he described as “Islamic State targets” in December 2025, and indicated further U.S. military actions could follow.
Prior to the deployment, the U.S. had been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from neighbouring Ghana since at least November 2025, providing intelligence support ahead of the December strikes.
General Anderson said the deployment was part of deepening cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria against growing terrorist threats in West Africa.
“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small U.S. team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” he said.
He did not disclose the size or specific role of the team but added that it would support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
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