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.

Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has expressed his willingness to meet with President Bola Tinubu if such an engagement would promote Nigeria’s progress and national development.

Lamido, who spoke exclusively to The Nation at Bamaina, his country home on Sallah day, said he remains open to dialogue with the President if it would advance the nation’s well-being.

Despite being a vocal PDP critic of the administration, Lamido emphasized that his openness to dialogue is driven by national interest rather than partisan politics.

“I will be more than willing. So when are we going to see him?” he said, emphasising his readiness to engage constructively.

The former governor, however, dismissed claims that he had turned down an invitation from the President to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that no such offer was ever made to him.

“When was I invited? Let me know, please. Did he send you to me? I’m hearing this from you for the first time,” he stated.

He maintained that any meaningful interaction between him and the President should be focused on national interest rather than partisan considerations.

“If it is about the progress and development of Nigeria, I am open. I will be willing to meet him,” Lamido added.

On reports linking him to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following viral images showing him with the party’s logo, Lamido described the claims as products of social media manipulation.

“In this era of social media and content creation, anything is possible. People sit in their rooms and create stories. I have not seen such pictures,” he said.

Commenting on recent developments in the country, the former governor stressed the need for Nigerians to take responsibility for their electoral decisions, noting that leadership outcomes reflect the choices made by the electorate.

“When we were campaigning, we urged Nigerians to vote right, with integrity and conscience. People voted, and whatever you put in is what you get out,” he said.

He also used the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr to felicitate with Muslims, urging prayers for peace, unity and stability in Nigeria.

“We thank Allah Almighty for sparing our lives to witness Ramadan. It was a period of repentance, prayers and supplications,” he said.

Lamido further prayed for national peace and prosperity, calling for divine guidance for leaders at all levels.

“We pray that Allah secures Nigeria, restores peace, stability and prosperity, and guides our leaders to do the right thing,” he added.

The Nigeria Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW Nigeria) has demanded full prosecution of all perpetrators involved in the attack on women in Ozoro, Delta State during a festival.

The National President, Ojobo Atuluku, made the federation’s position known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that women were reportedly harassed and assaulted during the recent Ozoro Festival.

While condemning the attacks, Atuluku said what happened was not culture but criminality.

“It was gender-based violence in its most brazen form, inflicted on women who had every right to be safe in their own community.”

According to her, all the perpetrators including organisers, participants, and enablers should be prosecuted under all applicable laws, with independent oversight to prevent compromise.

She said that investigation and sanction of traditional authorities in the affected community should be carried out.

“Where culpability, negligence, or complicity is established, we call for the removal of all implicated office holders up to and including the relevant First Class Chief under applicable chieftaincy laws.

“We demand mandatory regulation of cultural festivals to ensure compliance with human rights and public safety standards before any event is permitted to proceed.”

While acknowledging the swift action of the Delta State Police Command in arresting the alleged organiser and other suspects, she said arrests alone was not justice.

“Justice requires thorough investigation, transparent prosecution, and consequences that leave no doubt that violence against women will not be tolerated in Nigeria under any circumstance, and certainly not under the cover of tradition.”

According to her, the acts violate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Section 34, right to dignity), the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, and the Criminal Code Act.

She said that they also breached Nigeria’s international obligations under CEDAW and the Maputo Protocol, which required the State to protect women from violence and harmful practices.

The federation also demanded comprehensive support for victims including medical care, psychosocial services, legal aid, and witness protection.

It called on the Federal Government and the state governments to enforce all relevant legal frameworks.

Atuluku also called on traditional rulers across Nigeria to recognise that leadership carried responsibility and that no cultural event should ever become a platform for abuse.

She urged civil society, professional bodies, and the media to sustain pressure until justice was fully achieved.

“This incident is not isolated. It is a stark reminder that too many Nigerian women still navigate spaces where their safety is not guaranteed.

“That must change, and it must change now.

“BPW Nigeria stands in unwavering solidarity with the victims and we will continue to advocate, mobilise, and pursue all lawful measures including strategic litigation, until every Nigerian woman’s dignity and safety are protected.

“An injury to one woman is an injury to all,” she added.

(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)