The United States has resumed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) flights over Nigeria’s North-East, focusing on militant activity in the Sambisa Forest following recent airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State.
Security analysts disclosed that an American surveillance aircraft was sighted flying over parts of Borno State on Saturday, just a day after the airstrikes. Flight-tracking data identified the aircraft as a Gulfstream V, a jet commonly modified for intelligence-gathering missions.
The renewed operation is believed to be targeting the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the terror group operating mainly in the North-East and the Lake Chad Basin. The surveillance flights reportedly resumed after a brief pause following Thursday night’s military action in the North-West.
Open-source intelligence analysts said the US surveillance mission over Nigeria began in late November, with aircraft operating out of Ghana, which serves as a logistics hub for American military activities in West Africa. The same aircraft has reportedly flown over Nigerian airspace almost daily since the operation began.
The renewed ISR activity comes amid growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, following recent high-level talks and US assurances of increased action against jihadist groups operating in the country.
