In brief
US forces, initially deployed to support Nigeria’s counter‑insurgency, carried out joint strikes that killed a senior Islamic State commander and disrupted the group’s leadership network. After the operation’s success was announced, U.S. troops largely exited the Lake Chad Basin, though the U.S. and Nigerian armies will continue intelligence cooperation. Security challenges remain, with jihadist attacks persisting especially in north‑eastern Nigeria, alongside banditry that spills into central and southern regions. Nigerian fighters assured the public that the withdrawal would not slow their momentum against militant groups.
US forces have largely been pulled out of Nigeria following a joint operation that significantly degraded the Islamic State’s leadership and presence in the Lake Chad Basin.
In December, the United States and Nigerian armed forces launched a coordinated campaign in the region, striking militants on Christmas Day and deploying nearly 200 soldiers for operational support two months later. The campaign culminated in the killing of senior IS leader Abu‑Bilal al‑Minuki during the months‑long effort.
At a briefing on Thursday, General Dagvin Anderson, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Africa, declared the mission a success and noted that IS command in Nigeria had been “significantly degraded.” Despite the withdrawal, U.S. personnel who had been tasked with training and support remain in the country to continue intelligence sharing, as confirmed by Major General Samaila Uba, a Nigerian military spokesperson.
Nigeria’s military assures the public that the exit of U.S. troops will not affect the country’s momentum against Islamist militants. However, armed groups and criminal banditry continue to pose a serious threat, especially in northeastern Nigeria where most jihadist attacks take place and have expanded into central and southern areas.
While U.S. and Nigerian cooperation grew in the wake of Washington’s allegations that Nigerian authorities were not fully protecting vulnerable communities, Nigeria firmly rejected those claims, emphasizing that violence impacts all faiths in northern regions where Muslims are the majority. Monitoring organisations confirm that the majority of victims of jihadist attacks are Muslim, reflecting the geographic focus of IS’s activities.
As the region moves forward, both sides remain committed to strengthening intelligence sharing and joint defensive operations to secure Nigerian communities against extremist threats.
