US delivers military equipment to Nigeria for counterterrorism operations

The United States has delivered military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force in Lagos and Kainji, Niger State, to support counterterrorism operations in the region.

The US Africa Command disclosed this in a statement published on its website on Thursday, saying the equipment was delivered in September through a US Air Force C-17 aircraft.

According to AFRICOM, the delivery was made under a foreign military sales agreement between the United States and Nigerian militaries.

“The delivery furthers the strategic partnership between the two nations in order to enhance Nigerian-led efforts to counter terrorism in the region. U.S. military support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria is by its invitation and rooted in respect for Nigerian sovereignty,” the command said.

The development comes weeks after the AFRICOM Commander, Gen. Dagvin Anderson, announced a reduction in the number of US troops deployed to Nigeria following a May operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified by US officials as the second-in-command of ISIS, in the Lake Chad Basin.

American and Nigerian officials had described the relatively small US deployment in Nigeria as having produced significant results.

However, small teams of US trainers and intelligence analysts are expected to remain in Nigeria after the larger contingent is withdrawn by late September.

The report also quoted American officials as describing the deployment in Nigeria as a potential model for future US counterterrorism operations in Africa.