US expands military training for Nigerian troops

The United States has intensified military training for Nigerian troops as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation and improve the operational capabilities of the Nigerian armed forces.

The training, conducted at an operating location in Bauchi State, covered unmanned aircraft systems, combat casualty care, weapons familiarisation, explosive ordnance disposal, small-unit tactics and other military skills.

The United States Africa Command disclosed this in a report on Monday, saying the exercises were designed to enhance military readiness, strengthen partner capacity and deepen cooperation between US and Nigerian forces.

According to the report, Nigerian personnel received instruction in Combat Lifesaver and Tactical Combat Casualty Care, camouflage, water treatment and testing, weapons handling and unmanned aircraft systems.

The training areas were selected based on the expertise available among US personnel and priorities identified by their Nigerian counterparts.

Capt. Gabriel Feingold, a logistics officer with the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa and operations officer at the Bauchi operating location, said US units presented Nigerian leadership with a range of training options from which they selected areas considered most beneficial.

The report said unmanned aircraft systems attracted particular interest from Nigerian forces, with Sgt. Mark Murphy, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, leading about 10 members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces Regiment through practical training.

The session included classroom instruction followed by hands-on exercises on operating the aircraft, employing unmanned systems and integrating information gathered through the systems into military operations.

Murphy said the Nigerian personnel showed strong interest in the training and expressed a desire for further instruction on the systems.

AFRICOM said the exercises also provided opportunities for US and Nigerian personnel to build relationships and improve interoperability, particularly among personnel at the operational and field levels.

Feingold said the interaction between both forces was important for strengthening relationships and cooperation between individual service members.

The report added that joint recreational activities, including basketball and volleyball, also provided opportunities for personnel from both countries to interact when operational commitments and weather conditions allowed.

It said additional training programmes were being developed at the Bauchi operating location as both countries continued to identify areas for sharing expertise and improving military capabilities.

The development follows AFRICOM’s disclosure in July that the US had withdrawn most of its troops deployed to Nigeria for a specific counterterrorism operation while maintaining intelligence-sharing and broader security cooperation with the country.