US deploys surveillance drones in Nigeria

 

The United States has stationed multiple MQ-9 drones in Nigeria alongside about 200 military personnel to assist with intelligence gathering and training as Nigerian forces battle Islamist insurgents across the north, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.

Officials from both countries emphasised that the American troops are not embedded with Nigerian frontline units, while the drones are being used strictly for surveillance rather than conducting airstrikes.

The latest deployment follows U.S. airstrikes targeting militant groups in northwest Nigeria in late 2025 and signals a renewed American role in countering Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked insurgencies expanding across West Africa.

Previously, the U.S. maintained a $100 million drone base in neighbouring Niger, with roughly 1,000 troops monitoring militant activity across the Sahel. That facility was shut down in 2024 after Niger’s military government demanded the withdrawal of foreign forces, reflecting a wider regional pushback against Western military involvement.

A recent suicide bombing attack on a garrison town in northeastern Nigeria has underscored the enduring threat posed by a 17-year insurgency, which continues to reach urban centres.

At the same time, attacks have intensified in the northwest near the borders with Benin and Niger, where persistent banditry is increasingly intersecting with Islamist militant activity.

A U.S. defence official said the deployment was made at Nigeria’s request to enhance intelligence capabilities. “We see this as a shared security threat,” the official said.

Major General Samaila Uba, director of defence information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, confirmed that American assets are operating from Bauchi airfield in the northeast.

“This support builds on the newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our ‌field commanders,” ⁠he told Reuters. “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”

Uba added that the duration of the U.S. mission would be jointly determined by both countries.

MQ-9 drones — often referred to as Reaper drones — are capable of flying at high altitude for more than 27 hours and can be used for both surveillance and strikes, though officials reiterated their current role is limited to intelligence gathering.

While neither side disclosed specific operations influenced by U.S. intelligence, Uba said the collaboration has enhanced Nigeria’s ability to “identify, track and respond to terrorist threats”.

It was earlier reported that U.S. aircraft operating from Ghana conducted intelligence flights over Nigeria late last year.

The United States, which has a longstanding defence partnership with Nigeria involving training and arms sales, said it carried out airstrikes in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day to prevent attacks on Christian communities.

However, Nigeria’s government and conflict analysts have rejected assertions of a coordinated anti-Christian campaign, arguing that such claims oversimplify a complex security situation.

Authorities are still investigating the March 16 attack on the garrison town, with no group immediately claiming responsibility.

Uba noted that both Boko Haram and ISWAP — an Islamic State-affiliated faction — remain active and continue to evolve their tactics.

“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” he said.

(REUTERS)