Source: BBC News
The United States has withdrawn most of the military personnel it deployed to Nigeria earlier this year following the completion of a joint operation targeting Islamic State fighters in the Lake Chad Basin, according to BBC News.
The operation, carried out alongside Nigerian forces, was launched in December and aimed at disrupting Islamic State activities in the region. US officials say the mission achieved its objectives by weakening the group’s leadership and operational network.
Joint Operation Targets Islamic State
The military campaign began with coordinated air strikes against militant positions on Christmas Day before approximately 200 US troops were deployed two months later to support Nigerian forces.
One of the operation’s most significant outcomes was the killing of senior Islamic State commander Abu Bilal al Minuki, whom US officials described as a key figure within the group’s Nigeria based branch.
Speaking on Thursday, General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of US Air Forces in Africa, said the joint mission had successfully degraded the leadership of Islamic State in Nigeria.
He added that the operation disrupted both the group’s local command structure and its links to the wider global Islamic State network, making communication and coordination more difficult.
Nigeria Says Security Efforts Will Continue
Despite the withdrawal of most American troops, Nigerian military officials insist the country’s fight against armed groups will continue without interruption.
Military spokesperson Major General Michael Onoja told the BBC that the departure of US forces would “not affect our momentum in any way.”
He said intelligence sharing and other forms of military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States would continue, allowing both countries to maintain close security coordination.
US officials also confirmed that American military personnel who were stationed in Nigeria before the Lake Chad Basin mission will remain in the country.
Security Challenges Persist
Although the operation is being described as a success by both governments, extremist violence continues across parts of north eastern Nigeria, where Islamic State and other jihadist groups regularly carry out attacks on communities and security forces.
Security analysts say the Islamic State has shifted much of its global activity toward Sub Saharan Africa in recent years, with its Nigeria based affiliate now responsible for a large proportion of the group’s worldwide attacks.
Earlier Tensions Over Security
Military cooperation between Washington and Abuja expanded after the United States expressed concern over Nigeria’s handling of violence involving Islamist militant groups.
Earlier this year, US officials accused Nigerian authorities of failing to adequately protect vulnerable communities and alleged that a “Christian genocide” was taking place in parts of the country.
The Nigerian government strongly rejected those claims, arguing that the conflict is driven by a complex mix of terrorism, criminality, and local disputes rather than religious persecution alone.
Organisations that monitor political violence have also reported that many victims of jihadist attacks are Muslims, reflecting the fact that most militant activity occurs in northern Nigeria, where Islam is the majority religion.
Broader Security Threats
Nigeria continues to face multiple security challenges beyond the Islamic State insurgency.
In addition to extremist violence in the north east, the country is grappling with widespread banditry, kidnapping, and organised criminal activity, which have spread from northern states into parts of central and southern Nigeria.
While the withdrawal of most US troops marks the end of the latest joint mission, both governments have indicated that intelligence cooperation and broader security partnerships will continue as Nigeria confronts persistent threats from armed groups.
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