The United States military is ramping up both equipment deliveries and intelligence sharing with Nigeria as part of an expanded effort to support African forces in combating Islamic State-linked militants, according to Lt.-Gen. John Brennan, Deputy Commander of US Africa Command.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Brennan made the disclosure during an interview with AFP on the sidelines of a US–Nigeria security meeting held in Abuja last week.

He said Washington has adopted a more assertive strategy in targeting IS-linked groups across the continent. “We’ve become much more proactive and are working with partners to address these threats, primarily ISIS,” Brennan explained. “From Somalia to Nigeria, these challenges are interconnected. We aim to dismantle them while equipping our partners with the intelligence they need.”

Brennan added that the US is focusing on enabling partner forces by providing equipment and operational support with fewer restrictions to enhance their effectiveness. “The emphasis has been on empowering partners, giving them the tools and capabilities necessary to succeed,” he said.

The first US–Nigeria Joint Working Group meeting took place roughly a month after the United States carried out surprise Christmas Day airstrikes against IS-linked targets in northwestern Nigeria. Brennan said future US support will prioritize intelligence sharing to bolster Nigerian air operations in the northwest and northeast, regions long affected by Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which he described as “our most concerning group.”

The renewed cooperation comes amid diplomatic pressure from Washington over reports of mass killings of Christians in Nigeria. Abuja and independent analysts, however, argue that the country’s security challenges are complex and affect communities across religious lines.

During the Joint Working Group meeting, US State Department official Allison Hooker called on Nigeria to protect Christians but did not mention Muslim victims. Brennan clarified that US intelligence support would not be limited to safeguarding any single religious group.

While analysts have observed increased US intelligence flights over Nigeria, questions remain about whether aerial support alone can weaken militant groups operating in areas characterized by poverty and weak state presence. Initial US strikes reportedly targeted fighters linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, primarily active in neighboring Niger. Brennan warned that the spread of IS-linked groups from the Sahel into coastal West African countries, including Nigeria, is a growing concern.

The impact of the strikes is still unclear, as journalists have been unable to independently verify militant casualties. Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said last week that operations are “still a work in progress.”

Brennan also confirmed ongoing communication with the militaries of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, despite their military governments and reduced formal cooperation with Western partners. “We continue to collaborate and share intelligence to target terrorist groups,” he said.

He emphasized that the US is not seeking new military bases in West Africa following the closure of its drone base in Agadez, Niger. “We’re focused on delivering capabilities where and when they are needed, then leaving. Long-term basing in West African countries is not our objective,” Brennan concluded.