US Intensifies Nigeria Surveillance Amid Security Concerns and Religious Violence
The United States has been conducting near-daily intelligence-gathering flights over Nigeria since late November,signaling heightened security cooperation between the two nations and raising questions about the scope of Washington’s response to escalating instability in the West African country.
The aircraft used for these missions, typically operated by contractors, take off from Ghana and conduct surveillance over Nigeria before returning to accra, Ghana’s capital. Flight tracking data identifies the operator as Mississippi-based tenax Aerospace, a company specializing in special mission aircraft and closely affiliated with the U.S. military. Tenax Aerospace has not publicly responded to inquiries regarding the flights.
According to Liam Karr, the Africa Team Lead for the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, the operation appears to be centered at an airport in Accra, a well-established logistical hub for the U.S. military’s operations across Africa. Karr noted that this activity represents a rebuilding of U.S.capacity in the region following Niger’s decision last year to expel U.S. troops and align with Russia for security assistance. “In recent weeks we’ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,” Karr stated.
A former U.S. official revealed that the aircraft is among several assets repositioned to Ghana in November. While the exact number of aircraft currently stationed in Ghana remains unclear, missions include tracking the kidnapped U.S.pilot and gathering intelligence on active militant groups within nigeria, including Boko Haram and its affiliate, Islamic state West africa Province (ISWAP).
A current U.S. official confirmed the flights over Nigeria but refrained from providing further details,citing the sensitive diplomatic nature of the operation. Another administration official stated that Washington continues to collaborate with Nigeria to “address religious violence, anti-Christian attacks, and the destabilizing spread of terrorism.”
The Pentagon acknowledged holding “productive meetings” with Nigeria following Trump’s public statements but declined to comment on specific intelligence matters.
Nigeria’s Response and Internal Security Challenges
The Nigerian government maintains that armed groups target both Muslim and Christian populations, asserting that U.S. claims of Christian persecution do not accurately reflect the complex security landscape and the nation’s efforts to protect religious freedom. Though, Nigeria has agreed to work with the U.S. to strengthen its forces against militant groups.
Nigeria’s population is roughly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south. A Nigerian security source, speaking anonymously, indicated that an agreement was reached during a November 20 meeting between Nigerian National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy air assets for intelligence gathering.
President Bola Tinubu recently declared a security emergency and ordered increased recruitment for the army and police to combat escalating violence across the country,including the mass abduction of over 300 schoolchildren in northern Nigeria.
Escalating US Pressure and Diplomatic Actions
The U.S. has also taken punitive measures against nigeria in response to perceived shortcomings in protecting Christians. In October, Trump reinstated Nigeria on a list of countries accused of violating religious freedom. more recently,Nigeria was added to the U.S. travel ban list, facing partial restrictions and entry limitations.
Trump has reportedly directed the defense Department to prepare for potential “fast” military action in Nigeria should the nation fail to address the killings of Christians. A joint task force has been established between the U.S. and Nigeria to focus on security matters, according to Republican U.S. Representative Riley Moore, who recently visited Nigeria.
The Gulfstream V aircraft conducting the surveillance was observed at MacDill Air Force base, headquarters of the United States Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida, on November 7, before deploying to Ghana on November 24. The aircraft has maintained a near-daily flight pattern over Nigeria since the operation began.
