The United States has confirmed the withdrawal of its military troops deployed for a joint counterterrorism operation in Nigeria, while assuring that intelligence sharing and broader security cooperation with the Nigerian government will continue.
The announcement was made by the Commander of US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, during a press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
Anderson explained that the operation in Nigeria’s Lake Chad Basin helped disrupt the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh) network, benefiting not only countries within the region but also global security efforts.
He stated that most US personnel assigned to the mission had now left Nigeria following the conclusion of the operation.
However, he stressed that the United States remains committed to supporting Nigeria through intelligence collaboration, saying the partnership will continue at the request of the Nigerian government to strengthen efforts against terrorism and assist in tackling complex security challenges.
