The United States has deployed several MQ-9 surveillance drones and about 200 troops to Nigeria to support the Nigerian military with intelligence and training in the fight against insurgent groups in the country’s northern region.
According to officials from both countries, the deployment focuses strictly on surveillance and advisory roles. The American personnel are not embedded with frontline Nigerian troops and will not conduct direct combat operations or drone strikes.
The development was reported by Reuters on Saturday, citing U.S. and Nigerian officials who confirmed that the operation was requested by Nigerian authorities to strengthen efforts against terrorist groups operating in the region.
A U.S. defence official described the mission as a response to a “shared security threat,” noting that the focus of the deployment is intelligence gathering and strategic support for Nigerian forces.
The Director of Defence Information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, Samaila Uba, confirmed that the American personnel are operating from an airfield in Bauchi in the northeast.
He explained that the mission is part of a newly established intelligence fusion arrangement between both countries aimed at improving the flow of actionable intelligence to Nigerian field commanders.
“Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities,” Uba said.
The MQ-9 drones, also known as Reaper drones, are advanced unmanned aircraft capable of staying airborne for more than 27 hours while conducting surveillance operations.
Officials emphasised that the drones currently operating in Nigeria are being used solely for intelligence gathering to help identify and track terrorist threats linked to groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The deployment comes amid rising insecurity in northern Nigeria. On March 16, suicide bombers attacked a garrison town in the northeast, highlighting the continuing threat posed by insurgent groups.
The Nigerian military stated that the duration of the U.S. deployment would be determined through mutual agreement between both countries.
The latest cooperation follows previous security collaboration between Nigeria and the United States, including counter-terrorism support and intelligence sharing aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to combat violent extremism.
