US military sends drones, alongside 200 troops, to Nigeria amid fears of renewed Boko Haram insurgency

The U.S. subject has sent MQ-9 Reaper drones to Nigeria, a U.S. defence authoritative reportedly told The Associated Press, arsenic fears are increasing of a renewed insurgency by the violent radical Boko Haram. 

The drones were deployed aft 200 U.S. troops arrived successful Nigeria past period to supply grooming and intelligence. Nigeria, Africa’s astir populous country, is battling a analyzable information crisis, particularly successful the northbound of the country. 

A spokesperson for AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command, told the AP that U.S. troops "are moving alongside their Nigerian counterparts to supply quality support, advisory assistance, and targeted grooming successful enactment of the Nigerian Armed Forces." 

Among the astir salient Islamic militant groups progressive successful Nigeria are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, which is affiliated with the Islamic State and is known arsenic Islamic State West Africa Province, oregon ISWAP.  

NIGERIA SUICIDE BOMBINGS KILL AT LEAST 23 PEOPLE, WOUND MORE THAN 100 

A U.S. subject MQ-9 Reaper drone approaches for landing astatine Rafael Hernandez Airport successful Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, connected Dec. 29, 2025. (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP via Getty Images)

There is besides the ISIS-linked Lakurawa, arsenic good arsenic different "bandit" groups that specialize successful kidnapping for ransom and amerciable mining. 

The U.S. troops and the MQ-9 drones are based astatine Bauchi Airfield, a recently built airdrome successful the northeast of the country, the spokesperson said to the AP. The fig of drones deployed remains unclear. 

The deployment is portion of a caller information concern agreed connected aft President Donald Trump sounded the alarm astir Christians being slaughtered successful Nigeria’s information crisis. 

The U.S. launched strikes against IS forces connected Dec. 26 — the time aft Christmas.

Earlier this month, 3 suspected termination bombings killed astatine slightest 23 radical and wounded 108 others successful Maiduguri, the superior of Borno authorities successful northeastern Nigeria. No radical claimed responsibility, but suspicion rapidly fell connected Boko Haram, which successful 2009 launched an insurgency successful northeastern Nigeria to enforce Sharia law.

100 US TROOPS LAND IN NIGERIA AS ISLAMIC MILITANTS THREATEN WEST AFRICA REGIONAL SECURITY 

Residents and a motorcyclist determination betwixt destroyed structures successful Offa connected Dec. 27, 2025, caused by debris from expended munitions that fell from U.S. strikes connected unspecified militants linked to the Islamic State radical successful Nigeria. (Abiodun Jamiu / AFP via Getty Images)

MQ-9 drones outgo astir $30 cardinal apiece and person abstracted models for onshore and sea. They tin besides beryllium utilized to transportation out airstrikes, but AFRICOM says they volition lone beryllium utilized successful Nigeria for intelligence-gathering and training. 

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence says Boko Haram aims to "overthrow the existent Nigerian Government and regenerate it with a authorities based connected Islamic law." 

A policeman walks among protesters arsenic civilian nine groups and the Nigeria Labour Congress clasp a peaceful protestation implicit insecurity successful Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, connected Dec. 17, 2025. (Adekunle Ajayi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

"The U.S. State Department designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization successful November 2013," it added. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.