Anderson had made the claim on Tuesday, January 3, when he said Nigeria and the United States concluded that existing efforts were not sufficient to address evolving security challenges in the region.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has countered the claim by the head of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, that the United States deployed American troops to Nigeria to fight insecurity.
The Nigerian military in a statement issued on Thursday, February 5, 2026, by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, insisted that no foreign combat forces are stationed in the country.
Anderson had made the claim on Tuesday, January 3, when he said Nigeria and the United States concluded that existing efforts were not sufficient to address evolving security challenges in the region.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, Anderson had said discussions between Washington and Abuja resulted in an understanding that closer collaboration was necessary, culminating in the deployment of U.S. personnel to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
"That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” Anderson had told journalists.
However, while the Nigerian military denied the claim of the U.S. troops' deployment, it said the West African country maintains a long-standing and well-structured security partnership with the United States, stressing that the relationship does not involve the deployment of American troops on Nigerian soil.
According to the Nigerian military, the partnership with the United States is rooted in mutual respect and is focused on capacity building, professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support and strategic dialogue aimed at addressing shared security challenges, including terrorism and other transnational threats.
The DHQ emphasised that all engagements with the United States are conducted in full respect of Nigeria’s sovereignty and strictly in line with existing bilateral frameworks.
“As part of this ongoing partnership, a recent two-day high-level Working Group engagement brought together senior U.S. government officials and their Nigerian counterparts at the Office of the National Security Adviser,” the statement read.
It added that the meeting followed earlier engagements held in the United States, reflecting what it described as a mature, trust-based relationship focused on achieving practical outcomes.
The military disclosed that discussions during the engagements included proposals aimed at strengthening existing cooperation mechanisms, improving coordination and enhancing accountability in joint efforts to counter violent threats, while ensuring the protection of civilians and community safety.
However, the Defence Headquarters said that the proposals are still under review by relevant Nigerian authorities.
The military further noted that Nigeria’s engagements with international partners are guided strictly by national interest, measurable outcomes and the protection of the country’s sovereignty.
Reassuring Nigerians, the DHQ said all defence partnerships entered into by the country are transparent, policy-driven and aligned with constitutional provisions.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity while working with credible partners in ways that strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture without compromising national independence,” the military authorities said.