U.S. SURVEILLANCE FLIGHTS RESUME OVER NIGERIA’S NORTH-EAST TARGETING ISWAP

The United States has resumed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights over Nigeria’s North-East, focusing on militant activity in the Sambisa Forest. This comes just days after recent airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State.

Security analysts disclosed that an American surveillance aircraft was sighted flying over parts of Borno State on Saturday, merely one day after the airstrikes. Flight-tracking data identified the aircraft as a Gulfstream V, a jet commonly modified for intelligence-gathering missions.

Analysts confirm the renewed operation is targeting the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the terror group operating mainly in the North-East and the Lake Chad Basin. The surveillance flights reportedly resumed after a brief pause following Thursday night’s military action in Nigeria’s North-West.

Open-source intelligence analysts provided further context, stating the U.S. surveillance mission over Nigeria began in late November. These aircraft operate out of Ghana, which serves as a key logistics hub for American military activities in West Africa. “The same aircraft has reportedly flown over Nigerian airspace almost daily since the operation began,” one analyst noted.

This renewed ISR activity underscores a significant development in regional security dynamics. It occurs amid growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, following recent high-level talks. The flights follow U.S. assurances of increased action against jihadist groups operating within Nigeria’s borders.