American military forces have established operations in Nigeria, sending several MQ-9 surveillance drones and 200 service members to support the country’s fight against Islamic extremist organizations, according to officials from both nations who spoke with Reuters.
The American personnel are not participating in frontline combat operations with Nigerian forces, and the unmanned aircraft are being used solely for intelligence collection rather than conducting strikes, officials confirmed.
This deployment marks America’s renewed engagement in combating Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliated insurgencies spreading throughout West Africa, following U.S. air operations against militants in Nigeria’s northwest region in late 2025.
The mission comes after the closure of America’s $100 million drone facility in neighboring Niger, which housed approximately 1,000 troops monitoring extremist activity across the Sahel region. That base was shuttered in 2024 when Niger’s military government demanded the departure of U.S. forces, reflecting a broader regional shift away from Western military partnerships.
Recent violence underscores the ongoing security challenges, including a suicide bombing attack on a northeastern Nigerian garrison town this week that demonstrated how the 17-year insurgency continues to threaten urban areas.
Extremist groups have also intensified operations in Nigeria’s northwest, along the borders with Benin and Niger, where existing criminal activity risks evolving into another stronghold for Islamic militants.
A U.S. defense official explained that Nigeria requested the drone deployment for intelligence gathering purposes. “We see this as a shared security threat,” the official stated.
Major General Samaila Uba, who serves as director of defense information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, verified that American assets are operating from Bauchi airfield in the country’s northeast.
“This support builds on the newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” Uba explained to Reuters. “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”
Uba indicated that both countries will jointly determine how long the American deployment will continue.
The MQ-9 aircraft, also called Reaper drones, can remain airborne at high altitudes for over 27 hours and serve dual purposes for both surveillance and strike missions.
While neither Uba nor the American official discussed specific instances where U.S. intelligence resulted in Nigerian operations against militants, Uba noted that American forces are assisting Nigeria to “identify, track and respond to terrorist threats.”
Reuters previously reported that aircraft operating from Ghana conducted intelligence missions over Nigeria for the U.S. military late last year.
The United States, which has maintained a longstanding military partnership with Nigeria through training programs and weapons sales, conducted air operations in the northwest on Christmas Day, stating the action was necessary to prevent attacks on Christians in the region.
However, Nigerian government officials and conflict analysts have disputed claims of systematic anti-Christian violence, arguing such characterizations oversimplify a multifaceted crisis.
The perpetrators of the March 16 garrison town attack remain unidentified and under investigation, according to Uba.
He noted that both Boko Haram militants and ISWAP, an Islamic State affiliate, continue posing significant threats while evolving their operational methods.
“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” Uba said.
