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Killings: US conducts surveillance flights over Nigeria – Report
US Conducts Surveillance Flights Over Nigeria Amid Rising Security Concerns
The United States Department of Defense has reportedly been carrying out intelligence-gathering surveillance flights over large areas of Nigeria since late November 2025, signaling heightened security cooperation between the two nations amid rising diplomatic tensions, Reuters reported exclusively.
According to the report, the operations follow threats by former US President Donald Trump to intervene militarily in Nigeria over alleged failures to stop attacks on Christian communities. The surveillance flights also come months after a US pilot working for a missionary organisation was kidnapped in neighboring Niger.
Flight Operations and Logistics
Flight tracking data show that contractor-operated aircraft, primarily departing from Ghana, fly over Nigeria and return to Accra. The aircraft are operated by Mississippi-based Tenax Aerospace, a company specializing in special mission aircraft in collaboration with the US military.
Liam Karr, Africa team lead for the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, told Reuters that the flights appear to be run out of Accra, a known US military logistics hub in Africa. “In recent weeks we’ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,” Karr said, noting that the operations help Washington rebuild intelligence capacity in the region following US troop withdrawals from Niger and the country’s growing engagement with Russia.
Purpose and Official Statements
While the specific objectives of the flights remain classified, sources indicate missions include tracking militant groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, as well as locating the kidnapped US pilot. Current and former US officials confirmed the aircraft have been flying over Nigeria almost daily since late November 2025, though details remain diplomatically sensitive.
The Pentagon said in a statement that it has held “productive meetings” with Nigerian officials but declined to discuss intelligence operations. Nigeria’s military spokesperson and Ghana’s deputy defence minister did not respond to requests for comment.
Context: Religious Violence and US Pressure
The US has previously taken punitive steps against Nigeria, including re-listing the country as violating religious freedom and imposing partial travel restrictions. Trump had urged the Defence Department to prepare for possible rapid military action if Nigeria failed to curb attacks on Christians. A joint security task force has reportedly been established between the two countries.
The Nigerian government, however, maintains that armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, and claims of Christian persecution oversimplify the complex security challenges facing the nation. Nigeria has agreed to work with Washington to strengthen its response to militant threats.
Recent Kidnapping Incident in Plateau State
Amid these developments, gunmen reportedly abducted 28 travellers, including men, women, and children, in the Zak community of Bashar district, Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State, on Sunday night. The victims were reportedly traveling to Sabon Layi for a Maulud event.
Sapi’i Sambo, a youth leader in Wase, confirmed the abduction, adding that the attackers included children and prominent community figures. The vehicle used by the travellers was discovered abandoned the following morning, and security forces have been alerted.
Plateau State has recently witnessed heightened insecurity, with banditry, kidnappings, and cattle rustling causing growing alarm. Last week, 12 miners were killed in an attack in Ratoso Fan community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, intensifying calls for stronger security interventions.
Looking Ahead
The US surveillance flights and rising local security threats highlight the urgent need for robust counterterrorism and public safety measures across Nigeria. As the federal and state governments coordinate responses, international intelligence cooperation is expected to play a key role in addressing the complex security landscape.
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