The United States has reportedly deployed multiple MQ-9 drones alongside 200 troops to Nigeria to provide training and intelligence support to the country’s military in its fight against Islamist militants, according to Reuters.
The report quoted officials of both countries as saying that the troops are not integrated within Nigerian units on the frontline, adding that the drones are also collecting intelligence and not carrying out air strikes.
“We see this as a shared security threat,” a US defence official was quoted as having said.
It was earlier reported that a drone refuelling station was part of the demands made by the US in the security partnership formed with Africa’s largest democracy following President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern.
According to report by TheCable, Nigeria had agreed to the demand and designated a north-eastern state to host the facility.
The defence headquarters (DHQ) subsequently said 100 US military personnel and associated equipment arrived at Bauchi airfield.
Samaila Uba, DHQ director of defence information, said the deployment followed the security agreement between Nigeria and the US.
Uba told Reuters in the Saturday report that the US was operating its assets from the north-east state.
“This support builds on the newly established US-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” he said.
“Our US partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”
Uba said the timeline for the US deployment in Nigeria would be determined in agreement by both sides.
MQ-9 drones, which are sometimes known as ‘Reaper drones’ and can loiter at high altitude for more than 27 hours, can be used for both intelligence gathering and air strikes.
However, officials from both sides did not disclose instances where US intelligence had aided Nigerian troops targeting militants, but Uba said that US forces are helping Nigeria “identify, track and respond to terrorist threats”.
Advanced drones can fire precision shots using mounted weapons like rifles, missiles, or guided munitions, achieving high accuracy in tests and operations.
