US, Nigerian Forces Strengthen Security Partnership Through UAS Training In Bauchi

US and Nigerian military forces have strengthened their security partnership through a series of joint training activities at Operating Location Bauchi, with a focus on sharing expertise, improving operational capabilities and building stronger ties between personnel.

The training is part of a broader US-Nigeria security cooperation programme aimed at enhancing readiness, strengthening partner capacity and improving interoperability in addressing shared security challenges.

Training activities at the Bauchi facility have covered areas including Combat Lifesaver and Tactical Combat Casualty Care, weapons familiarisation, camouflage, water treatment and testing, explosive ordnance disposal, small-unit tactics and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The latest UAS training was led by Sgt. Mark Murphy, an intelligence analyst with the US Army’s 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, for about 10 members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces Regiment.

The session combined classroom instruction with hands-on training, introducing the Nigerian personnel to the operation of the unmanned aircraft system and techniques for using information gathered by the platform during operations.

Murphy said the Nigerian personnel quickly grasped the basic controls and were enthusiastic about gaining practical experience with the system.

“They were really excited with being able to get hands-on time with it,” he said, adding that they were also interested in further training.

Capt. Gabriel Feingold, a logistics officer assigned to the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa and operations officer at Operating Location Bauchi, said the training programme was developed around both US capabilities and the needs identified by Nigerian forces.

“We bring them a list of several different training topics, and they select what they think would be most beneficial for them,” Feingold said.

He said the approach enabled US personnel to share specialised knowledge while ensuring that training remained relevant to the operational priorities of their Nigerian counterparts.

Beyond technical and military skills, US officials said the training was helping to deepen relationships between personnel from both countries.

Feingold said the interaction was particularly valuable at the junior levels, where personnel from the two forces might not otherwise have regular opportunities to work together.

“It helps build relationships between Soldiers and the partner force, especially at the lower levels,” he said.

Murphy said the UAS training had also made it easier for him to interact with Nigerian personnel at the Bauchi facility.

“Now it’s a lot easier to interact with them,” he said, noting that Nigerian personnel now approached him to discuss the training.

The partnership also extends beyond formal military activities, with US and Nigerian personnel taking part in basketball and volleyball when operational commitments and weather permit.

US officials said such informal engagements, alongside professional training, were helping to build trust and strengthen long-term cooperation between the two forces.

Additional training opportunities are being developed at Operating Location Bauchi as the US and Nigerian militaries continue to identify areas for sharing expertise and improving joint readiness.