News
US deploys military aircraft, massive weapons, soldiers to Nigeria
At least three United States military aircraft reportedly landed in Nigeria between Thursday and Friday.
The aircraft touched down at military facilities in Borno and other states in the North-East as part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
Another senior officer described the delivery as part of routine operational logistics, noting that ammunition often needs replenishment after 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.
“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.
C-17 Transport Flights Land In Three Locations
According to a report by The New York Times, it was gathered that on Saturday (yesterday) that the US military aircraft landed in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Thursday night.
By Friday evening, three planes were reportedly sighted at the base, with equipment being offloaded from one of them.
“These initial flights are the vanguard of what will be a stream of C-17 transport flights into three main locations across Nigeria,” a US Department of Defence official was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, a post on 𝕏 by a counter terrorism reporter [@mobilisingniger] claimed that a US Air Force C-30J transport aircraft landed at Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana.
The post suggested the Kaduna Depot could serve as a training hub for US personnel collaborating with the Nigerian military.
“A US Air Force military transport aircraft C30J has landed at Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana earlier this (Friday) evening. The movement is fuelling speculation that US personnel may utilise the Kaduna Depot as a potential training hub in collaboration with the Nigerian military. This signals a potential deepening of US–Nigeria security engagement amid ongoing regional security challenges,” the post read.
Another secutiy analysts,, Brant Philip, claimed there had been a “massive delivery of equipment” to the Maiduguri Airbase.
“The US Air Force C-130J-30 cargo aircraft flew to northeast Nigeria today (Friday) from Accra, Ghana, following the same route as the two previous C-17A; a mass delivery of equipment seems to be ongoing,” he wrote.
However, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, had yet to respond to inquiries on the development as of the time of filing this report.
The United States President, Donald Trump, had in 2025 threatened to invade Nigeria if the government failed to halt what he described as genocide against Christians.
Following the declaration of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, the US later carried out an airstrike on Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State on Christmas Day.
Both countries have since intensified cooperation on security.
Accoto reports last week, about 200 US officers would be deployed to Nigeria, with the first batch already arriving in the country.
New York Times reported that the deployment marked the beginning of a broader mission involving American intelligence analysts, advisers and trainers working with Nigerian forces on targeted counter-terrorism operations, partly aimed at protecting vulnerable communities.
The newspaper further disclosed that additional aircraft conveying troops and equipment were expected to arrive over the weekend, with more deployments anticipated in the coming weeks.
President Bola Tinubu has restated that his government is committed to addressing the country’s main problems, including economic difficulties, power shortages and safety issues.
Speaking in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Tinubu stated that his government is still focused on policies aimed at helping the poorest and most at-risk Nigerians.
He said: “We won’t stop moving forward, and we’ll keep looking for ways to help those who are struggling.
“This is a government that really cares.”
He noted that having steady power supply is very important for development, stressing that industrial growth and learning new skills mostly rely on having dependable electricity.
“You can’t have industrial growth, learning new skills, or people gaining strength without having enough power.
“I promise Nigerians that we will provide electricity to support our country’s development,” he said.
The president also thanked Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, for the way he leads the state.
“Diri has shown the strength of leading with a clear purpose, and I am here today making a promise that the challenges we face, along with the legacy of those who led this country, including the battles and difficulties of ensuring security, will be met with hard work to properly equip and train our men and women in the Armed Forces. We will defeat terrorism and banditry.”
The Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Dr Peter Chukwu is dead.
A source said the Bishop died where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Meanwhile, a social media influencer, Nwoba Chika Nwoba, in a post on his Facebook page, mourned the demise of the Bishop.
He wrote, “A very bad one for us in Ebonyi State. The loss of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Dr Peter Chukwu is a terrible loss.
“This loss is huge. God knows why, but it’s painful losing him in his 50s. A refined man and Associate Professor. This loss is beyond Ezza’s loss. It’s well. We can’t take war to God’s place. Kidney transplant issue. NCN.”
The authorities of the Catholic Church is expected to issue an official statement announcing the demise of the Bishop.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced former senatorial candidate in Borno State, Babagana Habeeb, to 10 years’ imprisonment for aiding terrorism through the sale of petroleum products to insurgents.
The trial judge, Peter Lifu, convicted Habeeb on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism filed by the Federal Government.
Habeeb, a fuel dealer based in Maiduguri, had pleaded guilty to the charge upon arraignment, admitting that he sold fuel to members of the Boko Haram operating in the North-East.
The convict, however, claimed that the transactions might have been carried out by attendants at his filling station.
During the proceedings, Habeeb appealed for leniency, kneeling in the dock as he urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
He told the court that he had two wives and six children and had been in detention for over 10 years without contact with his family.
Counsel to the Federal Government, David Kaswe, opposed the plea, arguing that the support provided to the terrorist group had serious consequences.
Kaswe submitted that the supply of fuel enabled the insurgents to power motorcycles used in attacks, leading to loss of lives and displacement of communities.
He urged the court to impose a stiffer penalty, noting that although the defendant had spent over a decade in custody, a 20-year sentence would be appropriate.
In his judgment, Justice Lifu held that there was no evidence establishing that the defendant was a member of Boko Haram or had undergone weapons training.
He, however, ruled that the admission of selling fuel to the insurgents was sufficient to sustain the charge of aiding terrorism.
The judge also noted that the prosecution did not challenge the defendant’s claim of prolonged detention.
Justice Lifu consequently sentenced Habeeb to 10 years’ imprisonment.
He ordered that the sentence should take effect from the date of the convict’s arrest and detention.
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