No fewer than three United States military aircraft landed in Nigeria between Thursday and Friday, delivering ammunition and equipment to support ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.

Senior officers at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that the aircraft touched down at military bases in Borno and other northeastern states. The deliveries, they said, were part of renewed United States intervention to assist Nigeria in combating insurgency and insecurity.

According to one of the officers, the development followed bilateral security talks between Abuja and Washington.

“Following Nigeria–US bilateral talks on security, the American government will not only deploy soldiers but also provide necessary logistics, including ammunition, to fight the insurgents,” the officer disclosed.

Another high-ranking military source described the shipment as routine operational logistics, explaining that ammunition replenishment is a critical aspect of sustained military operations.

“I know that recently US aircraft came to supply ammunition for our platforms, and that wasn’t the first time. So, what you are saying may be true, though I have not been officially briefed,” the source said.

“We go for operations and use different calibres of ammunition, which need to be replaced. The US and the Nigerian government, under the coordination of the NSA, are working together to end insecurity in the country. So, we should expect more deployments of aircraft and troops,” he added.

The development was also reported by the , which stated that US military aircraft landed in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Thursday night. By Friday evening, three planes were reportedly visible at the base, with equipment being offloaded from one of them.

A US Department of Defense official told the newspaper that the flights marked the beginning of a sustained airlift operation.

“These initial flights are the vanguard of what will be a stream of C-17 transport flights into three main locations across Nigeria,” the official said.

Meanwhile, activity tracking on social media platform suggested further military movements. An account, @mobilisingniger, which claims expertise in counter-terrorism analysis, disclosed that a US Air Force C-30J transport aircraft landed at Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana.

The post indicated that the Kaduna Depot could serve as a potential training hub for US personnel collaborating with the Nigerian military.

“This signals a potential deepening of US–Nigeria security engagement amid ongoing regional security challenges,” the post stated.

Another user, Brant Philip, who identified himself as a flight tracker, reported what he described as a “massive delivery of equipment” to the Maiduguri Airbase. According to him, a US Air Force C-130J-30 cargo aircraft flew into northeast Nigeria from Accra, Ghana, following similar routes as two previous C-17A aircraft.

As of the time of filing this report, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, had yet to respond to inquiries seeking official confirmation.

US Deploys Officers
The latest development comes amid reports that about 200 US military officers are being deployed to Nigeria as part of expanded counter-terrorism cooperation.

The reported that the first wave of American personnel — comprising intelligence analysts, advisers and trainers — had already arrived in the country. The deployment is aimed at supporting Nigeria’s armed forces in targeted counter-terrorism operations.

The security partnership gained momentum after US President declared in 2025 that the United States would intervene if Nigeria failed to address what he described as genocide against Christians. Nigeria was subsequently designated a Country of Particular Concern by Washington.

On Christmas Day, US forces carried out an airstrike on Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State, further underscoring Washington’s increasing involvement in Nigeria’s security landscape.

With additional aircraft reportedly expected over the weekend and in the coming weeks, observers say the unfolding developments signal a significant strengthening of military collaboration between both countries as Nigeria intensifies efforts to defeat insurgent groups operating across the North-East and other troubled regions.
Punch

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