The United States has been carrying out intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, according to a Reuters report citing flight tracking data and current and former US officials.
The surveillance missions involve a contractor-operated aircraft that typically departs from Ghana, flies over Nigerian territory, and returns to Accra.
The purpose of the flights has not been officially disclosed.
A former US official told Reuters that the aircraft is one of several intelligence assets relocated to Ghana in November under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Ghana serves as a key hub for the US military’s logistics network in Africa.
It remains unclear how many such aircraft are currently operating from the country.
Flight tracking data identified the operator as Tenax Aerospace, a special mission aircraft provider that works closely with the US military.
According to the former official, the missions include efforts to track a US pilot kidnapped in neighbouring Niger Republic, as well as to gather intelligence on militant groups operating within Nigeria.
A serving US official also confirmed that surveillance flights have been conducted over Nigeria but declined to provide further details, citing diplomatic sensitivity.
Data showed that the Tenax Aerospace aircraft arrived in Ghana on November 24 and has flown over Nigeria almost daily since the start of the operation.
The aircraft used is a Gulfstream V, a long-range business jet commonly modified for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The development follows heightened tensions after President Trump, on November 1, directed the US Department of Defense to prepare for possible military action against Islamist militant groups in Nigeria.
The directive came a day after Nigeria was redesignated a “country of particular concern” by the US over allegations of widespread persecution of Christians.
Trump accused radical Islamist groups of orchestrating mass killings of Christians and warned that the US could take decisive military action against the perpetrators.
On November 21, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss the situation.
Following the meeting, Hegseth said the US would work “aggressively” with Nigeria to address alleged persecution by jihadist groups.
The meeting coincided with a US congressional hearing on allegations of religious violence in Nigeria.
Weeks later, US Congressman Riley Moore said Nigeria and the United States were close to reaching a “strategic security framework” aimed at tackling terrorism, following his fact-finding visit to the country.
Details of the proposed security framework have not been made public
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