Why the U.S. Is Suddenly Moving Closer to Nigeria’s War on Terror

The United States is quietly ramping up military support for Nigeria, increasing weapons deliveries and intelligence sharing as Washington takes a tougher stance against Islamic State-linked militants across Africa.
US Army Lieutenant General John Brennan, deputy commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), disclosed in Abuja that the Pentagon is becoming “more aggressive” in hunting down ISIS-affiliated groups operating from Somalia to Nigeria.
According to Brennan, the US is easing restrictions and providing Nigerian forces with more equipment, tactics and real-time intelligence to strengthen air and ground operations, especially in the northeast and northwest where Boko Haram and ISWAP remain active.
The move follows surprise US airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting IS-linked camps in Sokoto State — a signal of Washington’s deeper involvement in Nigeria’s security battle.
“We’re working with partners to target, kinetically, the threats, mainly ISIS,” Brennan said, stressing that America now focuses on enabling African militaries with faster access to tools and intelligence.
However, the renewed cooperation comes amid diplomatic tension. Washington has pressured Abuja over claims of Christian killings, a narrative Nigerian authorities and analysts strongly dispute, insisting Nigeria’s violence cuts across religion and ethnicity.
Brennan clarified that US intelligence support would not be limited to protecting any single group but aimed at dismantling extremist networks threatening national stability.
The US also maintains quiet communication with junta-led Sahel states — Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — despite political fallout from military coups, sharing select intelligence on terrorist targets.
Still, Brennan said America is not seeking new permanent bases in West Africa, noting that future operations will focus on swift deployments rather than long-term presence.
As extremist groups push southward from the Sahel, analysts warn Nigeria may now sit at the centre of a wider regional storm — one Washington is no longer willing to watch from afar.