The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has stated that Nigeria’s security partnership with the United States primarily focuses on capacity building, professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support, and strategic dialogue aimed at addressing shared security concerns, including terrorism.

The clarification followed reports that U.S. troops had been deployed to Nigeria.

In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, the DHQ emphasised that all engagements with the United States are conducted with full respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and within existing bilateral frameworks.

Maj.-Gen. Uba reassured Nigerians that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain committed to protecting the nation’s territorial integrity while collaborating with credible partners to strengthen national security.

The statement added that Nigeria’s defence partnerships are transparent, policy-driven, and aligned with constitutional provisions, ensuring that international cooperation enhances the country’s security architecture without compromising national independence.

Meanwhile, a senior U.S. military official recently disclosed that the United States had deployed a small military team to Nigeria.

Speaking after the United States launched strikes targeting militants in Nigeria on December 25, Gen. Dagvin Anderson, head of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), said both countries had agreed to “increase collaboration”.

“We agreed that we needed to work together on the way forward in the region,” Gen. Anderson told a virtual news conference on Tuesday.

“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 in order to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years.”

However, he did not provide details of the team’s activities.