December 28, 2025
By Editor
The United States resumed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations in Nigeria on Saturday, following airstrikes carried out late Thursday againstย ISISย militants in Sokoto State.
Brant Philip, a Sahel-focused terrorism researcher, shared flight-tracking data indicating that a U.S. aircraft was operating overย Bornoย State. The aircraft โ identified as a Gulfstream V, a long-rangeย business jetย frequently modified for ISR missions โ was observed conducting operations linked to theย Islamicย State West Africa Province (ISWAP), theย ISISย affiliate active in northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin.
According to Philip, โThe United States resumed ISR operations today on ISWAP in the Sambisa Forest,ย Bornoย State, after a one-day pause following the strikes in Sokoto State,โ he posted on X.
Flight-tracking records show the United States started these surveillance missions on November 24, departing from Ghana, a key logisticsย hubย for U.S. military activities in Africa. Since then, the aircraft has flown over Nigeria almost daily. Data also linked theย operatorย to Tenax Aerospace, a contractor known for supporting U.S. special-mission aviation.
At the outset of the missions, a former U.S. official said the flights were intended both to track anย Americanย pilot kidnapped in neighboring Niger Republic and to gather intelligence on militant networks across Nigeria.
The renewed operations came days after Nigeriaโs National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met with U.S. officials in Washington. After the meeting, U.S. officials signaled plans to work more closely with Nigeria to counter jihadist violence, particularly attacks targeting Christian communities.
Thursday nightโs strike marked the first phase of the stated commitment, with expectations of additional actions to follow.
