The United States has pulled out most of the approximately 200 soldiers it deployed to Nigeria earlier this year, declaring the joint counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad Basin a success. General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of US Air Forces in Africa, announced on Thursday that the Islamic State's (IS) leadership in Nigeria had been "significantly degraded" and that the group's local command structure, as well as its links to IS's wider global network, had been disrupted, limiting its ability to communicate and coordinate.
The mission began in December, when US and Nigerian forces launched a joint operation in the Lake Chad Basin — a region straddling the borders of Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon that has long been a stronghold for jihadist groups. Airstrikes on Christmas Day were followed by the deployment of US ground troops in February. A notable outcome of the operation was the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as a senior IS leader. Washington had stressed from the outset that its forces would not participate in direct ground combat, focusing instead on support and strike capabilities.
Despite the drawdown, a degree of US military presence in Nigeria predating the Lake Chad operation remains in place, and intelligence-sharing between the two countries will continue, both sides confirmed. Nigeria's military spokesperson, Major General Samaila Uba, told the BBC the departure of US soldiers would "not affect our momentum in any way," while Maj-Gen Michael Onoja emphasised that bilateral intelligence cooperation would be sustained.
The broader security picture in Nigeria remains challenging. Jihadist attacks continue, particularly in the country's north-east, and analysts note that IS has undergone a significant geographic shift in recent years, with around 90% of its attacks now occurring in sub-Saharan Africa — with Nigeria hosting its most active branch. The US and Nigeria have also navigated diplomatic friction over the conflict: Washington earlier accused Nigerian authorities of failing to protect vulnerable communities and alleged a "Christian genocide" was taking place. Nigeria firmly rejected that characterisation, and organisations monitoring political violence note that the majority of victims are Muslim, as militant groups primarily operate in the predominantly Muslim north.
The withdrawal marks a milestone in US-Nigeria security cooperation, but underscores that the threat from Islamist militancy — alongside widespread banditry and criminal violence that has spread from northern into central and southern Nigeria — remains far from resolved.