Nigeria Welcomes US Military Support as Insurgency Fight Intensifies

The United States has deployed surveillance drones and approximately 200 military personnel to Nigeria as part of a renewed effort to support the country’s fight against Islamist insurgent groups, according to officials from both nations.

Sources familiar with the development disclosed that the deployment includes MQ-9 drones tasked strictly with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. The drones are not being used for airstrikes, while US troops are not embedded with Nigerian combat units on the frontlines.

The move follows the closure of a major US drone base in neighbouring Niger Republic in 2024. The facility, valued at about $100 million and previously staffed by around 1,000 troops, had played a key role in monitoring militant activities across the Sahel region before Niger’s military authorities ordered American forces to withdraw.

A US defence official stated that the latest deployment was made at the request of the Nigerian government, emphasising that the mission is focused on intelligence support rather than direct combat.

“This is a shared security concern,” the official noted, highlighting the collaborative nature of the operation.

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters also confirmed the development, stating that the US assets are currently operating from an airfield in Bauchi State, located in the country’s North-East region.

Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, explained that the partnership builds on an existing US-Nigeria intelligence fusion arrangement, which has been instrumental in providing actionable intelligence to Nigerian forces in the field.

He reiterated that American personnel are playing a strictly non-combat role, supporting Nigerian-led operations through intelligence sharing and technical capabilities.

The deployment signals a strengthening of security cooperation between both countries amid ongoing efforts to curb insurgency and restore stability in affected regions.