Keypoints:
- US aircraft conducting near-daily intelligence flights over Nigeria
- Surveillance followed Trump’s warning of possible intervention
- Operations linked to counterterrorism and hostage tracking
THE United States has significantly increased intelligence and surveillance flights over Nigeria in recent weeks, following President Donald Trump’s public warning that Washington could intervene if Abuja fails to rein in escalating violence, according to flight data and sources familiar with the operations.
Aircraft linked to US defence contractors have been flying near-daily reconnaissance missions over large parts of Nigerian airspace, departing from Accra in neighbouring Ghana before returning south, flight tracking records reviewed by Reuters show.
US officials say the flights are part of enhanced intelligence-gathering efforts focused on militant groups operating in northern Nigeria, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), as well as broader regional threats spilling across borders in the Sahel.
Trump warning sharpens security posture
The stepped-up surveillance follows remarks by Trump last month warning that the US could take unilateral action if Nigeria fails to protect Christian communities from persistent attacks by armed groups. Nigerian authorities have repeatedly rejected claims of religious targeting, arguing that violence affects communities of all faiths.
Nevertheless, the warning marked a notable shift in US rhetoric and was quickly followed by an expansion of intelligence activity, according to two officials briefed on the matter.
One former US official said the flights reflect Washington’s determination to maintain visibility in West Africa after being forced to withdraw military assets from Niger earlier this year following the collapse of security agreements with the country’s military rulers.
Contractor aircraft and quiet coordination
Flight data identifies the aircraft as a modified Gulfstream V operated by Tenax Aerospace, a Mississippi-based contractor that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services to the US military. The company did not respond to requests for comment.
The use of contractor-run platforms allows Washington to maintain intelligence coverage without establishing a permanent US military presence over Nigerian territory, analysts say.
‘This is a calibrated approach — high-end surveillance without boots on the ground,’ said one security researcher who monitors military flight activity across Africa.
Counterterrorism and hostage concerns
US officials say the intelligence flights also support efforts to locate a US pilot kidnapped earlier in 2025 in neighbouring Niger, underscoring the cross-border nature of militant activity in the region.
Nigeria has struggled for more than a decade to contain insurgencies in its northeast and widespread banditry in the northwest, with mass kidnappings and attacks on civilians continuing despite repeated military offensives.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has declared a security emergency and expanded military recruitment, while seeking deeper cooperation with international partners.
Deepening US–Nigeria engagement
The surveillance activity comes as Washington and Abuja attempt to stabilise a security partnership strained by regional upheaval and shifting alliances in the Sahel, where Russia has expanded its influence following French and US withdrawals.
A US defence official told Reuters that Washington remains committed to working with Nigeria to counter terrorism and regional instability but declined to comment on specific intelligence operations.
Nigeria’s military and Ghana’s defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
For analysts, the flights signal a broader recalibration of US engagement in Africa — one that relies increasingly on intelligence, partnerships and pressure rather than direct military deployments.
