US Expands Military Support and Intelligence Sharing with Nigeria to Fight Daesh-Linked Groups

The United States is increasing military equipment deliveries and intelligence-sharing with Nigeria to help combat Daesh-linked armed groups. The move follows diplomatic engagement and comes as the US adopts a more assertive stance across Africa. US support will focus on Nigerian air operations in the northwest and northeast, while coordination with Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali continues.

The United States is significantly increasing the delivery of military equipment and intensifying intelligence-sharing with Nigeria, according to Lieutenant General John Brennan, the deputy commander of US Africa Command. This move is part of a broader effort by Washington to strengthen cooperation with African forces tackling Daesh-linked armed groups across the continent.
Brennan noted that the Pentagon has also maintained open communication channels with the militaries of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, highlighting a coordinated regional approach to combatting extremist organizations. The expanded cooperation with Nigeria comes after recent diplomatic engagement by the United States to address the ongoing violence in the country, signaling a more assertive US posture toward Daesh-affiliated groups across Africa.
"Under the Trump administration, we've become much more aggressive, working with partners to target threats kinetically," Brennan explained during an interview with AFP on the sidelines of a US-Nigeria security meeting held in Abuja. He emphasized that the strategy involves not only targeting threats directly but also equipping and empowering partner forces.
"From Somalia to Nigeria, the problem set is connected," he said. "So we're trying to take it apart and then provide partners with the information they need. It's about enabling them, giving them equipment and capabilities with fewer restrictions, so they can be more successful."
The first meeting of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group was held last week in Abuja, about a month after US airstrikes targeted Daesh-linked groups in northwest Nigeria. While both the US and Nigerian militaries have expressed interest in closer cooperation, tensions persist following President Donald Trump’s claims that Nigeria has committed mass killings of Christians, a statement that Nigerian authorities have strongly rejected. The country is roughly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south, making such accusations highly sensitive.
Brennan further explained that US intelligence support would concentrate on aiding Nigerian air operations in the northwest and northeast regions, where armed groups have been active for several years. He stressed that the goal is to provide timely information and resources to Nigerian forces, enabling them to respond more effectively to security threats while enhancing overall regional stability.
This initiative reflects the US’s broader strategy of engaging African partners directly in the fight against extremist groups, combining diplomatic efforts, intelligence support, and military assistance to strengthen the capabilities of local forces in confronting these persistent security challenges.