The United States Air Force has reportedly restarted its Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations in Nigeria, focusing on areas where terrorist groups maintain strongholds.
According to Brant Philip, a regional security analyst covering West and East Africa, the renewed ISR missions are concentrated on territories influenced by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) around Borno State and the Lake Chad basin. Philip revealed that, consistent with past practice, US aircraft continue to operate from Accra, Ghana, rather than using Nigerian airfields.
The security expert earlier noted a brief pause in operations, marking the first time in nearly two weeks that an ISR flight did not take off. He explained that over a 12-day stretch, US Air Force surveillance missions had flown over several Nigerian states including Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kwara, Niger, and portions of Ekiti and Kaduna. Most of these missions, he said, were aimed at tracking ISWAP and IS-Sahel activities.
Philip also linked these developments to the recent visit of US Representative Riley Moore to Nigeria, during which Moore hinted at forthcoming strategic measures between both nations.
Nigeria Approves Troop Deployment to Benin Republic
In a related development, the Nigerian Senate has given approval for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to send Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin. The decision was reached during Tuesday’s plenary session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The approval came after the Senate Committee of the Whole thoroughly reviewed the president’s request. Lawmakers voted unanimously in support of the deployment, aimed at restoring stability and constitutional order in Benin following last weekend’s attempted coup.
Announcing the resolution, Akpabio invoked regional solidarity, stating, “An injury to one is an injury to all.” He confirmed that the Senate’s consent would be formally transmitted to President Tinubu immediately.
The deployment reinforces Nigeria’s broader regional security commitment at a time when both domestic and neighbouring political landscapes face heightened threats from insurgency, terrorism, and unconstitutional power grabs.
These combined developments—the resumption of US ISR flights and Nigeria’s proactive regional intervention—highlight a growing international focus on security in West Africa, particularly around counter-terror operations and the protection of democratic institutions.
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