At least three United States military aircraft reportedly landed in Nigeria between Thursday and Friday, delivering ammunition and other logistics to support ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.
As reported by PUNCH, findings indicated that the aircraft touched down at military facilities in Borno State and other parts of the region.
Senior officers at the Defence Headquarters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the planes conveyed ammunition supplied by the American government as part of bilateral security cooperation between both countries.
One of the officers explained that the development followed recent Nigeria–US security engagements aimed at strengthening the fight against insurgency.
“After high-level discussions between Nigeria and the United States on security collaboration, arrangements were made for the provision of logistics support, including ammunition. This forms part of efforts to reinforce ongoing military operations,” the officer said.
Another senior officer noted that replenishment of ammunition was routine after major operations, adding that the latest delivery would boost operational capacity.
“I am aware that US aircraft recently brought in supplies for our platforms. Such support is not unprecedented.
“The partnership between the two countries, coordinated at the level of the National Security Adviser, is focused on ending insecurity. We may see further movements in that regard,” he said.
The New York Times reported on Saturday that US military aircraft arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Thursday night.
The newspaper stated thatat Friday evening, three aircraft were visible at the base, with equipment being offloaded.
Quoting a US Department of Defense official, the paper said the flights marked the beginning of a series of C-17 transport missions to multiple locations in Nigeria.
On social media, a user identified as @mobilisingniger claimed that a US Air Force C-130J transport aircraft landed at Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana, suggesting that the Kaduna Depot could serve as a training hub for American personnel working with the Nigerian military.
Another user, Brant Philip, who described himself as a tracker, also reported what he termed a significant delivery of equipment to the Maiduguri Airbase, noting that the aircraft followed similar routes as earlier flights.
As of the time of filing this report, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, had yet to officially respond to inquiries regarding the development.
The latest deployment comes amid deepening security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
In 2025, US President, Donald Trump, indicated that American forces could be sent to Nigeria if authorities failed to halt attacks on Christians.
Subsequently, the US designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern and carried out an airstrike on Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State on Christmas Day.
Reports had earlier indicated that about 200 US intelligence analysts, advisers and trainers would be deployed to Nigeria to assist the armed forces in targeted counterterrorism operations.
The New York Times said the initial batch of personnel had already arrived, with more aircraft expected to land in the coming days.
Reacting to the development, a retired officer of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, Chris Andrew, cautioned against interpreting the move as the arrival of combat troops.
According to him, the American presence is largely advisory and technical, particularly in areas such as advanced drone operations and precision air capabilities.
“They are not deploying combat units. Nigeria has been expanding its drone operations through partnerships with countries like Turkey and others.
“What the US is offering is advanced training and operational expertise to enhance precision in our air campaigns,” Andrew said.
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He added that recent air operations against insurgents had shown improvement, attributing this partly to enhanced collaboration and technical support from international partners.
