By Our Correspondent
National News – Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has dismissed reports suggesting that the United States plans to relocate its drone base from the Niger Republic to Nigeria, describing the claims as inaccurate and misleading.
The clarification follows a report indicating that the United States deployed several MQ-9 Reaper drones and around 200 military personnel to support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations.
The drones are reportedly stationed at Bauchi Airfield in northeastern Nigeria and are expected to assist with intelligence gathering and training activities for Nigerian forces.
According to military authorities, the deployment forms part of an existing partnership between Nigeria and the United States aimed at strengthening intelligence sharing and improving operational effectiveness against insurgent groups operating in the region.
The MQ-9 Reaper drones are advanced unmanned aerial vehicles capable of flying at high altitudes for more than 27 hours.
They are widely used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and can also conduct precision airstrikes when necessary.
Officials clarified, however, that the drones currently deployed in Nigeria are strictly being used for intelligence and surveillance purposes.
The American personnel are also said to be operating in advisory and training capacities rather than participating in combat operations.
Defence officials explained that the U.S. troops are not integrated into Nigerian frontline units.
Instead, their role focuses on technical assistance, intelligence analysis, and operational coordination through a newly established US-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell.
The military leadership emphasised that all security operations remain under the control of Nigerian authorities and that the presence of American personnel does not indicate any plan to establish a permanent U.S. drone base in the country.
They further noted that any future security arrangement involving foreign military assets would be publicly communicated through appropriate government channels.
Earlier in February 2026, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that approximately 100 U.S. military specialists and equipment had arrived in Bauchi State to support training and intelligence collaboration.
Military authorities maintain that the partnership is designed to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to combat terrorism, improve surveillance capabilities, and provide actionable intelligence to commanders leading operations against insurgent groups across the country.
