Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria — In a development reflecting heightened international scrutiny of Nigeria’s domestic security situation, United States surveillance aircraft have been conducting regular reconnaissance flights over Nigerian airspace since late November 2025. The operations, involving contractor‑operated military intelligence assets, come amid rising concerns in Washington about violence in Nigeria, including attacks on Christian communities and wider instability caused by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). These surveillance missions mark a notable shift in U.S. engagement in West Africa and coincide with intensifying security cooperation between the United States and Nigerian authorities.
According to flight‑tracking data and statements from current and former U.S. officials, the aircraft — identified as a Gulfstream V long‑range business jet modified for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions — conducts near‑daily sorties from bases in Ghana, flying across broad areas of Nigerian territory before returning to Accra. The flights are operated by Tenax Aerospace, a Mississippi‑based contractor that works closely with the U.S. military.
U.S. involvement in aerial surveillance over Nigeria was triggered by a series of high‑profile security concerns. In late 2025, the U.S. government emphasised its alarm over Nigeria’s handling of extremist violence, particularly attacks on Christian communities, prompting Washington to designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act. This designation followed public statements by U.S. President Donald Trump warning that if Nigeria failed to protect vulnerable Christian populations from mass violence, Washington might consider more direct military involvement.
Although U.S. authorities have not publicly disclosed the precise objectives of the surveillance flights, multiple sources indicate the missions serve several key purposes. Among these are gathering intelligence on militant groups operating within Nigeria, monitoring the security environment, and assisting in the search for a U.S. pilot working for a missionary organisation who was kidnapped in neighbouring Niger earlier in the year. Officials familiar with the operation say that the intelligence collected helps build a clearer picture of extremist movements and hotspots, potentially aiding both U.S. and Nigerian security efforts.
U.S. officials have stressed that the reconnaissance flights are conducted with diplomatic sensitivity, emphasising cooperation with Nigeria rather than unilateral action. While details remain classified due to the nature of the intelligence work, an unnamed current U.S. official confirmed that Washington and Abuja continue to engage on security matters and are coordinating efforts to “address religious violence, anti‑Christian attacks, and the destabilising spread of terrorism.”
The Nigerian government’s response to the U.S. surveillance activities has been measured. While Abuja maintains that armed groups target communities of all faiths — Muslim and Christian alike — it has indicated a willingness to work with international partners to improve its counterterrorism capacity. Nigerian authorities have reiterated that the country faces complex security challenges, including banditry, insurgency and kidnapping, and that efforts to combat these threats are ongoing.
Security analysts view the U.S. surveillance operations as part of a broader recalibration of American strategic interests in West Africa. The flights come at a time when the U.S. is rebuilding its regional intelligence infrastructure after the expulsion of American forces from Niger in 2024, when the country shifted its security partnership to Russia. Ghana’s Accra has emerged as a logistical hub for U.S. military and intelligence activity in the region.
Experts say that the use of aerial surveillance reflects U.S. concerns over the deteriorating security landscape in parts of Nigeria, particularly in the central and northern regions where violence against civilians, including Christians, has drawn international condemnation. One prominent incident that intensified global focus was the Yelwata massacre in June 2025, in which scores of civilians, predominantly Christians, were killed by armed assailants in central Nigeria.
The timing of the surveillance flights also dovetails with a security emergency declared by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who ordered mass recruitment of troops and police to tackle rising violence across the country. This declaration came amid escalating attacks on communities, abductions of schoolchildren, and the continued operations of extremist factions.
Despite these developments, the deployment of U.S. surveillance aircraft has sparked debate among stakeholders in Nigeria and abroad. Supporters of the U.S. approach argue that enhanced intelligence capabilities can strengthen regional security and provide critical insights to help dismantle extremist networks. They contend that such cooperation is vital to protecting civilians and assisting Nigerian forces in formulating effective responses to entrenched security threats.
Conversely, some critics caution that the heightened U.S. involvement, particularly when framed around allegations of targeted violence against Christian communities, risks oversimplifying Nigeria’s multifaceted conflict dynamics and could fuel geopolitical tensions. They argue that the narrative of religious persecution as the sole driver of violence may overlook broader socioeconomic grievances and historical factors that contribute to instability in the region.
Human rights observers and civil society organisations have also underscored the need for nuanced engagement that respects Nigeria’s sovereignty while addressing legitimate concerns about civilian protection and human rights. They emphasise that any international assistance should support robust, locally led solutions to violence and insecurity, including community protection initiatives, judicial reforms, and comprehensive counterterrorism strategies.
As the surveillance missions continue, both the U.S. and Nigerian governments are expected to maintain dialogue on security cooperation. With violence persisting in various regions of Nigeria and extremist groups adapting their tactics, real‑time intelligence from aerial reconnaissance could play a significant role in shaping future joint operations. However, the long‑term success of such efforts will likely depend on deepening institutional partnerships and addressing the underlying causes of conflict that extend beyond military and intelligence activities.
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