The United States has withdrawn the majority of its military personnel deployed to Nigeria for a joint counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad Basin, following the successful completion of the mission.
Despite the troop withdrawal, Washington says it will continue to support Nigeria through intelligence sharing and strategic security cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
The announcement was made by Commander of the US Air Forces in Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, during a virtual briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
According to Anderson, the operation significantly disrupted ISIS activities in the Lake Chad Basin and contributed to global efforts against the terrorist group.
“We have withdrawn much of our forces that were there specifically for that operation, but we are continuing the partnership Nigeria has requested, particularly in intelligence sharing and the understanding necessary to prosecute these difficult tasks,” Anderson said.
He described Nigeria as a key regional ally with a highly capable military, noting that cooperation between both countries had delivered significant victories against ISIS.
Anderson revealed that intelligence collaboration between the United States and Nigeria played a crucial role in the operation that eliminated Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the second-highest-ranking leader in the global ISIS network, who oversaw the group’s international operations, media activities and recruitment.
He said the success demonstrated that targeted intelligence support can often be more effective than maintaining large numbers of foreign troops on the ground.
“Going forward, this is the model we want to build on—bringing unique US capabilities that enable our partners to be more effective in these fights,” he added.
The US commander also called for stronger intelligence cooperation among African nations to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and other transnational crimes.
Highlighting the impact of international collaboration, Anderson cited a recent multinational operation that intercepted a record 31-ton shipment of cocaine moving through the West African coast. He said intelligence coordination involving AFRICOM, US agencies and partner nations led to the seizure by Spanish authorities.
The United States deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to support intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin amid growing security cooperation between both countries.
The partnership reached a significant milestone in May 2026 when a joint US-Nigerian operation successfully eliminated Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki during a raid on his hideout in Borno State.
Although most US troops have now departed, both countries say their security partnership will continue through intelligence sharing and coordinated counterterrorism operations.
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