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United States sends drones, 200 troops to assist Nigeria
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MQ-9 drones to focus on intelligence gathering, not combat missions
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Nigerian military says partnership boosts real-time intelligence for operations
The United States has deployed multiple MQ-9 drones and about 200 troops to Nigeria to support ongoing efforts against insurgent groups, officials from both countries have confirmed.
According to the officials, the US personnel are not embedded with Nigerian frontline troops, while the drones are strictly being used for intelligence gathering and are not involved in airstrikes.
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A US defence official said the deployment was carried out at Nigeria’s request, describing insecurity as a shared threat.
“We see this as a shared security threat,” the official said.
The move follows the closure of a $100 million US drone base in Niger in 2024 after the country’s military government ordered American forces to withdraw.
Confirming the development, Nigeria’s Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the US assets are being operated from an airfield in Bauchi State.
“This support builds on the newly established US-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” he said.
Uba stressed that US personnel remain in a non-combat role, assisting Nigerian-led operations through intelligence support.
“Our US partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities,” he added.