US military planes land in Maiduguri as troop deployment begins

United States military aircraft have begun landing in Maiduguri, Borno state, signaling the start of a new security cooperation phase between the US and Nigeria.

A US military plane touched down Thursday night at the northeastern city’s airport, with additional aircraft expected over the weekend as part of a phased deployment of approximately 200 American personnel.

Officials said the aircraft are primarily C-17 transport planes carrying intelligence analysts, advisers, trainers and equipment.

By Friday evening, multiple planes were visible at the base, with equipment being offloaded from at least one aircraft.

The New York Times quoted a US Defense Department official as saying the flights into Maiduguri were the first in a series of C-17 operations scheduled for three key locations across Nigeria in the coming weeks.

Because many of the deployment areas have limited infrastructure, officials noted that the early arrivals will focus on setting up secure communications systems, base facilities and operational support structures alongside Nigerian counterparts.

Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, Nigeria’s defense spokesman, emphasized that the arriving personnel would not take part in combat operations.

“These personnel do not serve in a combat capacity and will not assume a direct operational role. Nigerian forces retain full command authority, make all operational decisions and will lead all missions on Nigerian sovereign territory,” General Uba said.

He explained that the deployment followed recommendations of a joint US-Nigeria working group and is focused strictly on advisory and technical assistance.

According to US officials, the steady flow of aircraft is expected to continue over the next several weeks as part of a temporary mission supporting targeted counterterrorism efforts.

The new arrivals will augment a small team of American advisers already operating in Nigeria, expanding joint planning and intelligence-sharing capabilities.

Background to the airlift activity

The current arrivals follow a week of heightened US military air activity in West Africa.

Between February 6 and 14, six US Air Force cargo aircraft were tracked landing in the region, each initially stopping in Accra, Ghana, before proceeding onward.

Open-source flight tracking data indicates that five of the aircraft later landed at Nigerian Air Force bases, while a sixth aircraft arrived most recently and is expected to follow a similar route toward the northeast.

According to details shared by @BrantPhilip_, an independent tracker and open-source intelligence (OSINT) analyst:

One C-17A landed at Kainji Airbase.

One C-130J-30 landed at Maiduguri Airbase, Borno State.

Three C-17A aircraft landed at Maiduguri Airbase.

All aircraft reportedly departed on the same day they landed.

“Maiduguri Airbase will likely be the primary base of operations for supporting the Nigerian army against ISWAP. This is a critical location as the IS affiliate currently controls most of Borno State rural areas.

“The volume of the delivery and the type of aircraft used by the USAF indicates that very heavy equipment is being sent to Maiduguri Airbase, I suspect at least one or more MQ-9 Reaper drones, attack helicopters and of course a large number of US troops,” @BrantPhilip_ said.

On February 10, American and Nigerian officials told the media that about 200 US troops would be deployed to Nigeria in advisory and training roles, reinforcing the broader security cooperation framework.

Editor’s note: This picture was used for illustrative purposes

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