The US says it has pulled back most of the forces it sent to Nigeria for a joint counterterrorism push in the Lake Chad Basin.
General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, commander of US Air Forces in Europe‑Air Forces Africa, told reporters this at the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026. It was reported that about 200 US military personnel arrived in Nigeria in February to help with intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism in the Lake Chad area.
The deployment came as Washington and Abuja stepped up cooperation against ISIS and other groups. It followed Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern by then‑President Donald Trump, who promised more US help. On December 25, 2025 the US carried out air strikes on two terrorist enclaves in the Bauni Forest in Tangaza LGA, Sokoto State. The partnership later led to the killing of Abu‑Bilal Al‑Minuki, ISIS’s second‑in‑command, at a hideout in Borno State.
At the conference Anderson stressed the value of US‑Nigeria intelligence sharing and said the operation had ended and most US personnel had returned to Washington DC.
“And so that operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helps countries globally as that disrupts the ISIS network.
“And so — and then we have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary to be able to prosecute these difficult tasks,” he added.
He called Nigeria a capable partner and described how US support helped track and take down a key ISIS leader. He also urged stronger intelligence sharing across Africa and noted recent cooperation that led to the interception of a record 31‑ton cocaine shipment at sea.
