By Peter Salami, with Agency Reports
The United States has quietly begun intelligence-gathering surveillance flights over large swathes of Nigeria, a few months after President Donald Trump issued a blistering warning that Washington could intervene militarily over continued violence against Christian communities.
Flight-tracking data and disclosures by current and former U.S. officials show that the operations, which started in late November, mark a significant escalation in security engagement between Abuja and Washington. The development was first reported by Reuters.
Although the exact objectives of the missions could not be independently confirmed, the timing has drawn sharp attention, coming shortly after Trump’s incendiary social media threat accusing the Nigerian government of failing to stop killings of Christians.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing,” Trump had declared, vowing to “wipe out” what he called Islamic terrorists operating in the country.
He further claimed he had instructed the U.S. Department of War to prepare for possible action, promising that any attack would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
Reuters reports that flight data for December shows the surveillance aircraft routinely departing from Ghana, flying deep into Nigerian airspace, and returning to Accra. The aircraft is operated by Mississippi-based Tenax Aerospace, a contractor known for providing special mission aircraft in close coordination with the U.S. military. The company did not respond to requests for comment.
Liam Karr, Africa team lead at the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project, who reviewed the data, said the operation appears to be run from Accra, a key logistics hub for U.S. military activity in West Africa.
He noted that the renewed flights suggest Washington is rebuilding its intelligence footprint in the region following Niger’s decision last year to expel U.S. forces from a major air base and pivot towards Russia.
“In recent weeks, we’ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,” Karr said.
A former U.S. official disclosed that the aircraft was among several assets redeployed to Ghana in November, adding that the missions include tracking a kidnapped U.S. pilot and collecting intelligence on militant groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
A serving U.S. official, speaking anonymously due to diplomatic sensitivity, confirmed that the aircraft has been flying over Nigeria but declined to offer further details. Another administration official said Washington continues to work with Nigeria to curb religious violence and terrorism.
The Pentagon confirmed it had held “productive meetings” with Nigerian authorities following Trump’s remarks but refused to comment on intelligence operations. According to Reuters, Nigeria’s military spokesperson and Ghana’s deputy defence minister did not respond to requests for comment.