Story perspectives

U.S. Boosts Security Ties with Nigeria Amid Boko Haram Threats

12/22/2025

Summary

Story summary

The United States has expanded security cooperation with Nigeria and begun intelligence-gathering flights since late November.
These flights involve a U.S. contractor-operated aircraft gathering intelligence on Boko Haram and other militants, following threats by U.S. President Donald Trump of military intervention.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a security emergency and ordered mass recruitment for military and police.
Separately, 130 schoolchildren abducted in November were released after a military operation.

History

Historical Context

The U.S. military campaign against Boko Haram began in 2015, responding to the group's violence that claimed over 20,000 lives and displaced millions in Nigeria. This intervention reflects a broader trend of U.S. support for regional stability in West Africa, particularly following the rise of Islamic extremist groups in the Sahel, exacerbated by the collapse of the Gaddafi regime in Libya in 2011.

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Story summary

The United States has expanded security cooperation with Nigeria and begun intelligence-gathering flights since late November.
These flights involve a U.S. contractor-operated aircraft gathering intelligence on Boko Haram and other militants, following threats by U.S. President Donald Trump of military intervention.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a security emergency and ordered mass recruitment for military and police.
Separately, 130 schoolchildren abducted in November were released after a military operation.

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