• The U.S. has confirmed the deployment of a small military team to Nigeria.
• This move aims to enhance collaboration against jihadist threats in northern Nigeria.
• President Trump previously ordered airstrikes targeting Islamic State camps in Nigeria.
• Nigeria faces a long-standing jihadist insurgency affecting multiple faiths.
• The Nigerian government disputes claims of targeted "Christian genocide."

The United States has deployed a small military team to Nigeria as part of a coordinated effort with the Nigerian government to combat the growing terrorist threat in the region, confirmed U.S. Africa Command (Africom) on February 3. General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, the head of Africom, stated that this collaboration represents a response to the increased violence attributed to jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in northern Nigeria, where numerous civilians have fallen victim to attacks. The mission's details, including its size and specific activities, were not disclosed, according to Reuters and Africanews.

This deployment follows President Trump's earlier airstrikes targeting Islamic State camps in Nigeria's northeastern region. The Pentagon's strikes on December 25 represented a shift towards a more active military presence in the country, a move accompanied by assertions of U.S. support in the fight against jihadists. U.S. military officials indicated a plan to enhance equipment deliveries and intelligence sharing to strengthen Nigeria's capabilities, reiterating the urgency of addressing the ongoing insurgency that has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities since 2016, as reported by Le Monde and Africanews.