By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigerian stakeholders are calling on the United States to extend its police training programme as Washington expands its military advisory mission in the country, according to security analyst Kingsley Okafor.

Okafor said the appeal follows the arrival of about 100 U.S. military personnel at Bauchi Airfield on February 16, 2026, under the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). The deployment came weeks after U.S. airstrikes targeted Islamic State-linked militants in Sokoto State on Christmas Day 2025.

While the expanded military cooperation has drawn public attention, concerns are mounting over the planned conclusion of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) police training programme, scheduled to end on March 31, 2026.

Training gains at risk

Over the past three years, the INL initiative has trained more than 400 personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, including officers from the Complaint Response Unit, Counter Terrorism Unit, Mobile Police, and Special Intervention Squad. The programme covered public order management, tactical operations, human rights compliance, medical response, leadership, and community policing.

Security analysts say the training has strengthened professionalism and operational capacity within key police units. Community advocates, particularly in violence-affected Middle Belt areas, warn that ending the programme abruptly could undermine ongoing reforms.

“The military mission and police capacity-building should complement each other,” a security expert noted, emphasizing that counter-terrorism operations often require close coordination between military and police forces.

Advisory role and reform concerns

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has maintained that U.S. troops are serving strictly in advisory roles. However, observers argue that sustaining institutional police reforms alongside military support is essential for long-term stability.

As the March 31 deadline approaches, civil society groups are calling for renewal and closer integration between the police training initiative and the expanding military advisory mission, stressing that continuity is vital to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.

Analysts note that units such as the Counter Terrorism Unit and Special Intervention Squad — both beneficiaries of INL training — operate in environments that frequently overlap with military domains. Coordinated planning between INL coordinators and AFRICOM advisers, they argue, could enhance efficiency, standardize operational protocols, and strengthen accountability frameworks.

Human rights, community trust at stake

The human rights and community policing components embedded in the INL curriculum are seen as critical safeguards in conflict-prone areas where civilian protection remains paramount.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, remains central to West Africa’s stability. Security vacuums in neighbouring Sahel countries have underscored the risks of fragmented responses to extremist threats.

For civil society groups and affected communities, the March 31 deadline has become symbolic.

“You do not cut the roots while you are still trying to grow the tree,” one observer remarked, capturing the sentiment among advocates who view continuity as essential to long-term reform.

As Washington deepens its military footprint in Nigeria, the debate over the INL programme’s future is emerging as a test of coherence in U.S. security policy. Stakeholders say the priority is clear: extend the police training initiative, integrate it with the military advisory mission, and ensure that expanded engagement is matched by sustained institutional reform.