US Deploys Drones, Soldiers to Nigeria Against Islamist Terrorists

The United States has recently deployed several MQ-9 drones along with approximately 200 troops to Nigeria as part of efforts to combat Islamist militant groups, according to reports from US and Nigerian officials.

The deployed troops are not integrated with Nigerian ground units, and the primary function of the drones is to gather intelligence, with no combat airstrikes planned at this time.

Previously, the US maintained a $100 million drone base in neighboring Niger, which housed around 1,000 troops tasked with monitoring militant activities throughout the Sahel region. However, this facility was closed in 2024 following a directive from Niger’s military government for US forces to withdrawal from the country.

A US defence official said the current deployment to Nigeria was made at the country’s request and is primarily aimed at bolstering intelligence-gathering efforts. “We see this as a shared security threat,” the official told Reuters.

Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, confirmed that US assets are operating from the Bauchi airfield 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 told Reuters. “Our US partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”