The United States has withdrawn most of its military personnel deployed to Nigeria’s Lake Chad Basin following the completion of a joint counterterrorism mission targeting Islamic State (ISIS) networks.
The announcement was made by General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe–Air Forces Africa, during a briefing after the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
Anderson said the operation had achieved its objectives, including disrupting ISIS activities in the region. Despite the troop withdrawal, he confirmed that the United States will continue to support Nigeria through intelligence sharing and security cooperation at the request of the Nigerian government.
About 200 U.S. personnel were deployed in February 2026 to assist with intelligence, surveillance, and counterterrorism efforts in northeastern Nigeria.
The joint operation recorded a major breakthrough in May 2026 with the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior ISIS leader described as the group’s global second-in-command, in Borno State.
U.S. officials say the mission highlights a shift in strategy toward short-term deployments backed by sustained intelligence collaboration, rather than prolonged foreign troop presence.
Anderson described Nigeria as a key regional partner with a capable military, noting that continued cooperation would focus on intelligence support to combat terrorism and other transnational threats.
He also called for stronger intelligence sharing among African countries, citing a recent multinational operation that intercepted a record 31-ton cocaine shipment off the West African coast as evidence of the benefits of coordinated security efforts.
The United States and Nigeria are expected to maintain close collaboration as both countries continue efforts to curb extremist activities in the Lake Chad Basin and across the region.
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