The United States has sent multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones and 200 troops to Nigeria to support intelligence gathering and training in the campaign against Islamist militants, a senior Nigerian defence official has confirmed.
The deployment, operating from Bauchi airfield in the northeast, is strictly non-combat and focuses on surveillance and reconnaissance to assist Nigerian-led operations.
Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, said the move builds on an existing bilateral intelligence-sharing mechanism.
“This support builds on the newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” Uba stated.
He added: “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”
Officials familiar with the arrangement told Reuters the drones and personnel are providing training and intelligence support to Nigerian forces fighting militants across the north.
The development follows a US strike against terrorists in Sokoto on December 25, 2025, and comes as Nigeria continues to battle insecurity in its northern regions.