The United States has stepped up military training for Nigerian troops as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation and improve the operational capabilities of Nigeria’s armed forces.
The training which took place in an operating location in Bauchi State, covered areas including combat casualty care, weapons familiarisation, camouflage, water treatment, explosive ordnance disposal, small-unit tactics and unmanned aircraft systems.
According to the United States Africa Command, the programme was designed to share military expertise, enhance readiness and build the long-term capacity of Nigerian security forces.
Unmanned aircraft systems attracted particular interest from Nigerian personnel, with a US Army intelligence analyst leading members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces Regiment through both classroom instruction and practical exercises. The training included lessons on how to operate the aircraft and using information gathered from the systems to support military operations.
US officials said the training areas were selected based on the expertise available among American forces and the needs identified by their Nigerian counterparts.
Capt. Gabriel Feingold, an operations officer at the Bauchi location, said Nigerian military leaders were presented with several training options and only the most beneficial were selected .
Beyond technical skills, the joint exercises were also aimed at improving cooperation and strengthening relationships between American and Nigerian service members. US officials said such interactions could enhance military performance particularly among personnel working at lower levels of both forces.
The latest training came after it was disclosed in July that the United States had withdrawn most of its troops deployed to Nigeria for a specific counterterrorism operation, while maintaining intelligence-sharing and broader security cooperation with the Nigerian government.
Further training programmes are expected to be developed at the Bauchi operating location as both countries continue to identify areas where their forces can exchange expertise and improve military capabilities.