Nigeria Confirms Planned Withdrawal of 200 US Troops

Nigeria on Tuesday confirmed the planned withdrawal of approximately 200 United States military personnel who were deployed earlier this year to assist in the country's fight against terrorism. The announcement was made by the Defence Headquarters, which emphasized that the drawdown represents a routine adjustment to a specific mission and does not signal an end to the broader security partnership between the two nations. Major General Samaila Uba, the Director of Defence Information, provided the clarification during a security briefing in Abuja. He stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria wished to clarify that the reported withdrawal should not be interpreted as a breakdown or termination of the Nigeria-United States security partnership. According to Uba, the defence relationship remains strong, enduring, and mutually beneficial, with cooperation continuing in intelligence sharing, military training, technical assistance, and other areas of professional engagement. The U.S. troops were initially deployed in early February 2026 following an agreement between Washington and Abuja. The deployment came after a U.S. military strike against suspected Islamic State fighters, whom U.S.