Nigeria Announces US Troop Pullout

By Staff, Agencies

Nigeria has confirmed that around 200 US troops deployed to support operations against the terrorist Daesh [Arabic acronym for “ISIS” / “ISIL”] will begin leaving the country, with most expected to withdraw by late September.

A smaller US advisory and intelligence team will remain, while training and information-sharing cooperation continues, Nigerian military spokesperson Major General Samaila Uba said.

The troops arrived in February to provide intelligence, targeting and training support, followed by the deployment of MQ-9 Reaper surveillance drones to Bauchi Airfield.

The mission followed President Donald Trump’s accusations that Nigerian authorities were failing to protect Christians and his threats of military action.

Abuja rejected claims of systematic targeting of Christians, saying terrorists’ violence, banditry and communal conflicts affect people of different faiths.

In December 2025, Nigeria and the US conducted coordinated airstrikes against Daesh in Sokoto State. In May, Nigerian and US military authorities said a joint Lake Chad Basin operation killed senior Daesh figure Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom Trump described as the group’s second-highest-ranking leader globally.

However, US Africa Command Chief Gen. Dagvin Anderson said in July that the deployment had degraded Daesh leadership and disrupted its network, while Nigerian analyst Samuel Memeh disputed the assessment, arguing that the US presence had produced no major security improvement.

Nigeria continues to face threats from Boko Haram and its Daesh-affiliated faction, armed bandits and communal violence. UN News reported that more than 40,000 people have lost their lives since the insurgency began in 2009.

Major attacks also continued during the US deployment. On August 21, gunmen attacked communities in Niger State, reportedly claiming 30 lives and abducting hundreds of worshippers from a mosque. Residents put the number abducted as high as 600, although authorities said the figure was unverified, while around 2,000 people reportedly fled to neighboring Benin.

Meanwhile, SBM Intelligence reported that at least 7,825 people were abducted across Nigeria between July 2025 and June 2026, a 66% increase from the previous 12-month period.