Insecurity: US troops set to leave Nigeria

The United States is set to withdraw about 200 American troops from Nigeria.

The US troops were deployed in early 2026 to help fight Islamist militants.

According to a report by the New York Times, the withdrawal is expected to be completed by late September. The report, however, stressed that the US is not ending its security relationship with Nigeria.

The New York Times stated that smaller teams of American trainers and intelligence personnel would stay back in Nigeria to support Nigerian-led operations.

Recall that the US military in conjunction with Nigerian forces conducted an operation in the Lake Chad Basin that resulted in the killing of Abu Bilal al-Minuki, identified by US officials as a senior Islamic State figure and the second-in-command of the group globally.

A spokesperson for the Pentagon’s Africa Command, Colonel Becky Heyse, described the approach as effective.

“Our recent joint efforts in Nigeria are a prime example of how this tailored, temporary footprint can yield significant security returns,” she said.

According to the New York Times, the proposed withdrawal is coming after Washington concluded that the specific mission for which the larger contingent was deployed had achieved its main objectives.

Recall also that the United States had increased its military presence in Nigeria in February after months of growing security concerns.

US and Nigerian forces worked together on intelligence-led operations against extremist targets in the North-East.