The United States has deployed multiple MQ-9 drones along with about 200 troops to Nigeria to assist in the fight against Islamist militants, according to officials from both countries.
Sources who spoke to Reuters indicated that the American personnel are not embedded with Nigerian frontline forces, while the drones are being used strictly for intelligence gathering rather than offensive strikes.
US officials explained that the deployment follows previous operations in the region, including a $100 million drone base in Niger Republic, where about 1,000 troops had been monitoring militant activities across the Sahel. That facility was shut down in 2024 after Niger’s military government ordered US forces to withdraw.
According to a US defence official, the current deployment to Nigeria was made at the request of the Nigerian government and is focused on enhancing intelligence capabilities.
“We see this as a shared security threat,” the official said.
Confirming the development, Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, stated that the US assets are being operated from an airfield in Bauchi State in the North-East.
“This support builds on the newly established US-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” he said.
He also emphasized that US personnel remain in a non-combat role, supporting operations led by Nigerian authorities.