The United States has recently significantly increased its military support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations by deploying MQ-9 Reaper drones and approximately 200 troops.
This deployment, which began in early 2026, aims to assist Nigerian forces in tracking and eliminating extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, primarily in the country’s northern regions.
US and Nigerian officials disclosed that the operation is focused strictly on intelligence gathering and training support, with no American personnel embedded in frontline combat units and no drone strikes being carried out.
“The US military has multiple MQ-9 drones operating in Nigeria alongside 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the military,” officials from both countries told Reuters.
According to Reuters on Saturday, the deployment followed a request by Nigerian authorities to enhance efforts to identify, track and respond to terrorist threats.
A US defence official described the move as part of a broader partnership, noting that “we see this as a shared security threat,” while emphasising that the mission is limited to surveillance and advisory roles.
Confirming the development, Nigeria’s Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the US forces are operating from an airfield in Bauchi.
“This support builds on the newly established US-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders. Our US partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities,” he said.
The MQ-9 drones, also known as Reaper drones, are capable of flying for over 27 hours at high altitude and can conduct both surveillance and strike missions.
However, officials stressed that those currently deployed in Nigeria are being used solely for intelligence purposes.
“Our US forces are helping Nigeria identify, track and respond to terrorist threats,” Uba added, without providing further operational details.
The deployment comes amid rising violence in Nigeria’s northeast and northwest, with renewed attacks by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
A recent suicide bombing on March 16 targeted a garrison town in the northeast, highlighting the persistent security challenges in the region.
“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” Uba said.
Nigerian military authorities noted that the duration of the US deployment would be determined jointly by both countries, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism capacity.
The latest move follows earlier US military actions, including airstrikes reportedly ordered under former President Donald Trump targeting ISIS-linked elements in northwest Nigeria.
The Federal Government said the strikes were part of coordinated international efforts to combat terrorism.
In February, reports indicated that the US had already deployed about 200 troops to Nigeria to enhance military training and operational support, particularly in tackling Islamist insurgents.
Officials said the initiative is expected to further boost Nigeria’s counterterrorism capabilities through sustained intelligence and capacity-building programmes.
