The United States military has commenced specialised training for Nigerian troops in Bauchi State, covering unmanned aircraft systems, combat casualty care, weapons familiarisation and other military skills as Washington and Abuja deepen their security cooperation.
The training is being conducted at an Operating Location (OL) in Bauchi under a broader US-Nigeria security cooperation programme designed to strengthen military capabilities, operational readiness and long-term partner capacity.
The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) disclosed details of the programme in a report released on Monday.
Training Covers Key Military Skills
According to AFRICOM, the training programme includes Combat Lifesaver and Tactical Combat Casualty Care, weapons familiarisation, camouflage, water treatment and testing, explosive ordnance disposal, small-unit tactics and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
The training areas were selected after US personnel presented Nigerian counterparts with a range of options based on their expertise and the needs identified by the Nigerian military.
Capt. Gabriel Feingold, a logistics officer with the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa and operations officer at OL Bauchi, said Nigerian military leadership selected the areas considered most beneficial.
“We bring them a list of several different training topics, and they select what they think would be most beneficial for them,” Feingold said.
Nigerian Forces Show Strong Interest in Drone Technology
Unmanned aircraft systems have attracted particular interest from Nigerian forces participating in the programme.
AFRICOM said Sgt. Mark Murphy, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, trained about 10 members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces Regiment in the use of unmanned aircraft.
The UAS training began with classroom instruction before moving to practical exercises involving the operation and deployment of the aircraft.
The Nigerian personnel were also taught how to incorporate intelligence gathered through unmanned systems into military operations.
“They were really excited with being able to get hands-on time with it,” Murphy said, adding that the Nigerian personnel had expressed interest in receiving additional training.
Building Stronger Military Partnerships
Beyond technical skills, AFRICOM said the joint exercises are intended to strengthen relationships and interoperability between American and Nigerian military personnel.
Feingold said the engagement was particularly valuable for building relationships between personnel at the operational level.
“It helps build relationships between Soldiers and the partner force, especially at the lower levels,” he said.
US and Nigerian personnel also participate in recreational activities, including basketball and volleyball, when operational commitments and weather conditions permit.
More Training Opportunities Planned
AFRICOM said the two countries are developing additional training opportunities at OL Bauchi as they continue to identify areas where their personnel can exchange expertise and improve military capabilities.
The latest programme comes weeks after AFRICOM disclosed that the United States had withdrawn most of the troops deployed to Nigeria for a specific counterterrorism operation while maintaining intelligence-sharing and broader security cooperation with Abuja.
The continued training demonstrates that, despite changes in the US military presence in Nigeria, Washington and Abuja remain focused on strengthening their security partnership and improving the ability of Nigerian forces to respond to evolving security threats.
