Three United States military aircraft have touched down at the Nigerian Air Force base in Maiduguri, Borno State, amid preparations for possible joint operations against the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the northeast.
Security analyst Brant Philip reported on X that between February 6 and 14, six US Air Force cargo planes arrived in West Africa, all making initial stops in Accra, Ghana, before continuing to Nigeria.
Of these, five aircraft landed at Nigerian Air Force bases:
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One C-17A at Kainji Airbase
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One C-130J-30 and three C-17A aircraft at Maiduguri Airbase in Borno State
Philip noted that all aircraft departed their respective bases the same day they arrived.
Maiduguri Airbase is believed to serve as the main operational hub for coordinated support to Nigerian forces in their ongoing fight against ISWAP, which continues to hold sway in several rural areas of Borno State.
Earlier reports, including one by the Wall Street Journal on February 10, indicated plans for the deployment of approximately 200 US personnel to Nigeria to provide advisory and intelligence support to the Nigerian military.
Neither Nigerian nor US military authorities have officially commented on the recent aircraft movements or troop deployments.
