The US has been conducting intelligence and surveillance flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, according to flight tracking data and US officials, signalling a sharp increase in security involvement following warnings from President Donald Trump.
The flights come weeks after Trump publicly threatened possible US military action, accusing Nigerian authorities of failing to stop violence against Christian communities. The surveillance missions are also taking place amid heightened regional instability and the recent kidnapping of a US pilot in neighbouring Niger.
Flight data reviewed by media shows that contractor-operated aircraft regularly take off from Ghana, fly over Nigerian territory and return to Accra. The aircraft are operated by a US-based defence contractor that works closely with the US military, though the company did not respond to requests for comment.
Security analysts said Accra has become a key logistics hub for US operations in West Africa, particularly after Niger ordered US forces to leave a major air base last year and shifted security cooperation towards Russia.
US officials familiar with the operation said the flights are focused on gathering intelligence on militant groups operating in Nigeria, including Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province. One official described the missions as part of a broader effort to rebuild US intelligence capabilities in the region.
Washington has not publicly detailed the purpose of the surveillance, citing diplomatic sensitivities. The Pentagon confirmed that discussions had taken place with Nigerian authorities following Trump’s warnings but declined to comment on intelligence activities.
Nigeria’s government has rejected claims that Christians are being systematically targeted, saying armed groups attack both Muslim and Christian civilians and that the conflict is more complex than US statements suggest. Despite this, Abuja has agreed to accept US intelligence support as it struggles to contain worsening violence.
According to a Nigerian security source, the deployment of US air assets was discussed during talks in November between senior Nigerian and US defence officials. Nigeria’s military has not commented publicly on the arrangement.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu last month declared a security emergency and ordered mass recruitment into the army and police following a surge in attacks, kidnappings and the abduction of hundreds of schoolchildren in the north.
Meanwhile, the US has taken punitive steps against Nigeria, including reinstating it on a religious freedom watch list and imposing partial travel restrictions. Trump has also instructed the Defence Department to prepare options for rapid military action if violence against Christians continues.
The developments underscore growing US pressure on Nigeria as Washington deepens its security footprint in West Africa amid shifting regional alliances.