U.S. Withdraws Troops from Nigeria After Key Operation

The U.S. has withdrawn its military personnel from Nigeria after completing a significant counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad Basin. General Dagvin R.

Anderson of the U.S. Air Force Africa stated during a virtual briefing that the mission required a temporary deployment of U.S. troops, which has now concluded.

However, he emphasized that Washington will continue to support Nigeria's security operations through intelligence collaboration and strategic assistance as requested by the Nigerian government. The operations in the Lake Chad region have yielded significant results, contributing to global security efforts against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

Anderson noted that Nigeria remains a key security partner for the U.S. in Africa due to its military strength and economic influence. The U.S. had deployed 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to support intelligence surveillance in the region.

A major breakthrough occurred in May 2026 when a joint U.S.-Nigerian operation reportedly killed Abu Bilal al Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of IS during a raid in Borno State.