The United States Government has announced the withdrawal of most of its military personnel deployed to support counterterrorism operations in Nigeria’s Lake Chad Basin, while reaffirming its commitment to intelligence sharing and broader security cooperation with Nigeria.
The Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, disclosed this on Thursday during a digital press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
According to General Anderson, the special military operation in the Lake Chad Basin has concluded successfully, prompting the withdrawal of most of the U.S. forces assigned to the mission. However, he stressed that Washington would continue providing intelligence support and other unique capabilities requested by the Nigerian government to strengthen ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
He noted that the operation not only enhanced security within the Lake Chad region but also disrupted the global network of the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh).
“And so that operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helps countries globally as that disrupts the ISIS network,” Anderson said.
He added that although much of the deployed force had departed, the U.S. remains committed to its strategic partnership with Nigeria through intelligence sharing and operational support.
“And then we have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary to be able to prosecute these difficult tasks,” he stated.
General Anderson described Nigeria as a capable and strategic partner with a professional military, saying the collaboration between both countries had produced significant gains against ISIS.
He revealed that intelligence cooperation between the United States and Nigeria played a decisive role in a joint operation that eliminated the second-in-command of the global ISIS network, who was responsible for the group’s international operations, media activities and recruitment.
According to him, the success of the operation underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-led partnerships rather than prolonged foreign military deployments.
“I think as we go forward, that is an example of how we’re looking at engaging with partners to help them be more effective by only bringing unique U.S. capabilities that allow the partner to be effective in these fights,” he said.
The U.S. commander also called for stronger intelligence collaboration among African nations to tackle terrorism, drug trafficking and other transnational crimes.
He cited a recent multinational intelligence-sharing effort that led to the interception of a record 31-ton shipment of cocaine originating from South America and transiting through the West African coast.
According to Anderson, coordinated efforts involving U.S. agencies, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), African partners and Spanish authorities resulted in the seizure, which he described as the largest maritime drug interdiction on record.
He emphasized that sustained cooperation among African countries, international partners and the private sector remains essential for addressing security threats while fostering economic growth and regional stability.
The United States deployed approximately 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to support intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin as part of expanded security cooperation between Washington and Abuja.
The partnership reached a significant milestone in May 2026 when a joint U.S.-Nigerian operation reportedly neutralized Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS, during an operation in Borno State.
