The U.S. military has deployed multiple MQ-9 drones and about 200 troops to Nigeria to support its fight against Islamist militants across the north.
This development was reported by Reuters on Saturday.
The personnel, Reuters reports, are providing training and intelligence support, but are not embedded with Nigerian frontline units, and the drones are solely for surveillance rather than carrying out airstrikes.
The deployment follows U.S. airstrikes targeting militants in northwest Nigeria in late 2025, signaling renewed U.S. involvement in countering Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked insurgencies in West Africa.
U.S. and Nigerian officials confirmed to Reuters the scope and purpose of the deployment.
A U.S. defence official said the drones and troops were deployed at Nigeria’s request to gather intelligence.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of defence information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, confirmed U.S. operations from Bauchi airfield in the northeast.
The U.S. deployment aims to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to identify, track, and respond to terrorist threats, while maintaining the sovereignty of Nigerian military operations.
The U.S. has previously maintained a stronger footprint in the region.
Militants have also intensified attacks in northwest Nigeria, near the borders with Benin and Niger, where banditry threatens to evolve into another Islamist operating zone.
The MQ-9 Reaper drones used by the U.S. can loiter at high altitude for over 27 hours and are capable of intelligence collection and airstrikes, though in Nigeria, they are currently restricted to surveillance.
Airstrikes carried out by the U.S. in the northwest on Christmas Day 2025 were intended to prevent attacks on civilians in the region, particularly targeting Christians.
In January, the United States delivered a new batch of military supplies to Nigeria, reinforcing bilateral defence cooperation as the country continues counterterrorism and internal security operations.
The March 16 attack on a northeastern garrison town is under investigation, and responsibility has not yet been determined.