US withdraws troops from Nigeria after mission against ISIS leader

• The United States has withdrawn most troops deployed for a joint counterterrorism mission in Nigeria's Lake Chad Basin.

• U.S. officials said the operation achieved its objectives and helped disrupt the global ISIS network.

• Intelligence cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria contributed to the operation targeting ISIS deputy Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki.

• Washington says it will continue intelligence sharing and broader security cooperation with Nigeria despite the troop withdrawal. 

The United States has withdrawn most of the military personnel it deployed to Nigeria earlier this year following the completion of a joint counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad Basin, but says it will continue intelligence sharing and broader security cooperation with the Nigerian government. 

The announcement was made by the Commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe–Air Forces Africa, Dagvin R. M. Anderson, during a virtual press briefing after the 2026 African Chiefs of Defence Conference.

According to Anderson, the specific military mission that required the deployment of U.S. troops has achieved its objectives, making it possible to withdraw the majority of the personnel involved. However, he stressed that the partnership between Washington and Abuja remains active.

“We have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary to be able to prosecute these difficult tasks,” Anderson said. 

The United States deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to support intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin, where Nigerian troops have continued to battle insurgent groups including the Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram. The deployment was intended to provide specialised capabilities while Nigerian forces remained responsible for operations on the ground. 

Anderson said the operation extended beyond improving security in the Lake Chad region, adding that it also disrupted the wider network of the Islamic State.

“That operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helped countries globally as that disrupted the ISIS network,” he said. 

The U.S. commander also disclosed that intelligence cooperation between the United States and Nigeria contributed to the successful operation that targeted Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of the global ISIS network. According to him, the operation combined U.S. intelligence capabilities with Nigerian military operations to eliminate one of the group's most senior leaders. 

Despite the troop withdrawal, Anderson emphasised that the United States is not ending its security partnership with Nigeria. Instead, Washington will continue supporting Nigeria through intelligence collaboration and other forms of security assistance at the request of the Nigerian government. 

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Describing Nigeria as a key regional partner, Anderson praised the country's military and said cooperation between both nations had produced significant gains in the fight against terrorism.

He also called for stronger intelligence sharing among African countries to tackle terrorism, illicit trafficking and other transnational security threats, saying such collaboration remains essential to improving security across the continent.