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| These operations, using a contractor-operated Gulfstream V aircraft based in Ghana, mark increased bilateral security cooperation amid Nigeria's ongoing battle with armed violence and Islamist terrorists. |
— ABUJA, Nigeria
The United States has been conducting near-daily intelligence-gathering flights over Nigeria since late November 2025, according to a Reuters exclusive report published on December 22. These operations, using a contractor-operated Gulfstream V aircraft based in Ghana, mark increased bilateral security cooperation amid Nigeria's ongoing battle with armed violence and Islamist terrorists.
The flights follow President Donald Trump's November threats of potential military intervention, citing alleged failures to protect Christian communities from persecution.
While Trump described the situation as an “existential threat” to Christianity, Nigerian officials maintain that violence affects both Muslims and Christians, rejecting claims of targeted religious genocide.
Flight tracking data shows the aircraft, operated by Mississippi-based Tenax Aerospace, departing from Accra, Ghana, and orbiting Nigerian airspace before returning.
A Nigerian security source confirmed an agreement during a November 20 meeting between National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy air assets for intelligence collection. Analysts, including Liam Karr from the American Enterprise Institute, view the operations as the US rebuilding regional surveillance capabilities after losing access to bases in Niger.
The Pentagon described recent US-Nigeria meetings as productive but declined to comment on intelligence activities.
These developments coincide with Nigeria's declaration of a national security emergency, mass recruitment drives, and the formation of a joint US-Nigeria task force to address escalating threats from groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, reflecting a shift toward cooperative efforts despite initial tensions.