The US has withdrawn most of the troops it deployed to Nigeria earlier this year as part of a joint military operation in the Lake Chad Basin.
Washington said the mission was a success and claimed the leadership of “Islamic State-linked militants” in Nigeria had been “significantly degraded.” Nigerian military officials said the withdrawal would not affect ongoing operations.
The deployment followed a joint US-Nigerian operation launched in December, which included strikes on Christmas Day and the later arrival of around 200 US troops. Senior IS figure Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed during the months-long mission.
Despite US claims of success, armed groups continue to carry out attacks, particularly in north-eastern Nigeria, where communities remain trapped between religious violence, banditry and the wider failures of state security.
Nigerian officials said intelligence-sharing with Washington would continue, while US military personnel already stationed in the country before the Lake Chad operation will remain.
Military cooperation between Nigeria and the US increased after Washington accused Nigerian authorities of failing to protect vulnerable groups and repeated claims of a “Christian genocide” in the country.
Nigeria has rejected the claim, saying the violence is far more complex and affects communities across religious lines. Groups monitoring political violence say most victims of Boko Haram and IS are Muslims, as the groups operate mainly in northern Nigeria, where Muslims form the majority.
The US has repeatedly framed security crises in Muslim-majority regions through its own geopolitical lens, while expanding military influence across Africa under the banner of counter-terrorism.
Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including militant attacks, banditry, kidnappings and criminal violence, which have spread from the north into parts of central and southern Nigeria.