U.S. hands over critical military equipment to Nigerian forces 

Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and banditry has received fresh boost, following the delivery of critical military supplies by the United States to the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) disclosed the development on Tuesday in a statement posted on its verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, announcing that U.S. forces had formally handed over the equipment to Nigerian authorities in Abuja.

“U.S. forces delivered critical military supplies to our Nigerian partners in Abuja. This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasises our shared security partnership,” AFRICOM said in the post, tagging the United States Mission in Nigeria, @USinNigeria.

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The latest support comes at a time when Nigeria is intensifying efforts to curb the activities of terrorist groups and armed bandits across several regions, particularly in the North-East, North-West and parts of the Middle Belt.

The development follows diplomatic engagements between Abuja and Washington in late 2025.

In November 2025, the administration of President Bola Tinubu formally appealed to the United States for military support to help counter terrorism in parts of the federation.

The request made in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy,  while reacting to the U.S. government’s decision to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom issues.

Barely a month after the appeal, a joint operation reportedly took place on December 25, 2025, when airstrikes were carried out against terrorist positions in the North-West in collaboration with Nigerian authorities.

The Federal Government later confirmed that the operation was conducted as part of ongoing security and intelligence cooperation between both countries.

In a subsequent briefing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with global partners to address its security challenges.

The ministry said the country remains engaged in “structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America,” stressing that such collaboration is anchored on intelligence sharing, strategic coordination and operational support.

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It added that all engagements are carried out in line with international law, respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and mutual security obligations.