The United States has deployed no fewer than 200 military personnel and a fleet of surveillance drones to Nigeria to bolster intelligence gathering in the fight against insurgent groups in the North-East.
Findings indicate that the deployment, which followed a request by the Nigerian government, is strictly for non-combat operations, with American troops barred from engaging in frontline battles.
Officials from both countries disclosed that the drones—identified as MQ-9 Reapers—are designated solely for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and will not be used for airstrikes.
A United States defence official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, described the move as part of a joint effort to tackle a “shared security threat,” particularly the persistent activities of Islamist militant groups operating in Nigeria and the wider Sahel region.
The official added that the personnel would not be embedded with Nigerian combat units but would instead provide technical and intelligence support.
Confirming the development, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the American assets are currently being operated from an airfield in Bauchi State.
He noted that the collaboration is tied to the recently established US-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which he said has enhanced the flow of actionable intelligence to Nigerian troops in the field.
Uba said, “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.”
The latest deployment comes after the closure of a major US drone base in neighbouring Niger Republic in 2024, where about 1,000 American troops had previously monitored militant activities across the Sahel before being ordered to withdraw by the country’s military junta.
Nigeria has continued to battle insurgency, banditry and other forms of violent crimes, particularly in the North-East, where military operations have recorded mixed outcomes in recent years.
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