Security tracker Brant Philip claimed that a United States ISR aircraft carried out reconnaissance over ISWAP territory in Borno after taking off from Accra, Ghana, describing it as part of a broader, undisclosed military arrangement between Nigeria and the US. Brant alleged that the deal would allow the US to conduct UAV airstrikes and help fill intelligence gaps for the Nigerian military, possibly from Kainji Air Base, and said the ISR flights returned for the third consecutive day.
His posts drew criticism from former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad, who accused him of revealing sensitive information to ISWAP. The report also referenced recent high-level meetings between Nigerian security officials and the US Department of War, following President Trump’s earlier threat of military action against terrorists in Nigeria. Neither the Nigerian government nor the US has issued any official confirmation of operations on Nigerian soil.