The United States has been carrying out intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, according to flight tracking data and current and former U.S. officials, signalling increased security cooperation between the two countries.

According to a report by Reuters, the surveillance activity follows United States President Donald Trump’s threat in November to militarily intervene in Nigeria over what he described as the government’s failure to halt violence against Christian communities.

The flights are also taking place months after a U.S. pilot working for a missionary agency was kidnapped in neighbouring Niger.

Flight tracking data for December showed that the contractor-operated aircraft usually takes off from Ghana, flies over Nigeria, and returns to Accra, the Ghanaian capital.

The data identified Mississippi-based Tenax Aerospace as the operator. The company provides special mission aircraft and works closely with the U.S. military, according to its website.

Liam Karr, Africa Team Lead for the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, analysed the flight data and said the operation appeared to be running from an airport in Accra, a known hub for the U.S. military’s logistics network in Africa.

He said the operation suggested the U.S. was rebuilding its presence in the region after Niger ordered American troops to leave a newly built air base last year and instead turned to Russia for security assistance.

“In recent weeks we’ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,” Karr said.

A former U.S. official said the aircraft was among several assets moved to Ghana by the Trump administration in November.

While it remains unclear how many aircraft are still based there, the official said the missions include efforts to locate the kidnapped U.S. pilot and gather intelligence on militant groups operating in Nigeria, including Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province.

A current U.S. official confirmed that the aircraft has been flying over Nigeria but declined to provide details to Reuters due to the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue.

Another administration official said Washington was continuing to work with Nigeria to “address religious violence, anti-Christian attacks, and the destabilizing spread of terrorism.” All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

In a statement, the Pentagon said the U.S. government held productive meetings with Nigeria following Trump’s message on the country but declined to discuss intelligence matters.

Nigeria’s military spokesperson and Ghana’s deputy defence minister did not respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s government has said armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, adding that U.S. claims of Christian persecution oversimplify the country’s complex security challenges and ignore efforts to protect religious freedom. However, it has agreed to work with the U.S. to strengthen its forces against militant groups.

Nigeria’s population is broadly divided between Muslims, who mainly live in the north, and Christians, who are largely in the south.

A Nigerian security source said the U.S. agreed during a November 20 meeting between National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy air assets for intelligence gathering. Nigeria’s military did not respond to a request for comment.

Flight tracking data showed the Tenax Aerospace aircraft was seen at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida on November 7. The base hosts the headquarters of the United States Special Operations Command. The aircraft flew to Ghana on November 24, days after the high-level meeting between U.S. and Nigerian security officials.

The data also showed the aircraft has flown over Nigeria almost daily since the operation began. Identified as a Gulfstream V, the aircraft is a long-range business jet commonly modified for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. (Nigerian Tribune)

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