U.S. Restarts Surveillance Flights Over North-East Nigeria Following Sokoto Strikes

The United States has resumed intelligence and surveillance missions over northeastern Nigeria, days after conducting airstrikes in Sokoto State. The flights are focused on monitoring militant activity in the Sambisa Forest region.

According to a terrorism monitor’s flight-tracking data shared online, a U.S. Gulfstream V surveillance aircraft was observed operating over Borno State on Saturday. The monitor stated the operation targeted the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Open-source analysts indicate these U.S. surveillance flights over Nigeria began in late November, originating from a logistics hub in Ghana. The same aircraft, associated with a U.S. special mission provider, has reportedly conducted near-daily missions since.

Sources familiar with the operations say the flights aim to track militant groups and locate an American pilot kidnapped in neighboring Niger.

This renewed activity follows recent high-level talks between Nigerian and U.S. defense officials. After the meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged aggressive cooperation to end what he termed the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.

The U.S. President Donald Trump described Thursday night’s airstrikes in northwestern Nigeria as the “first fulfillment” of this pledge and warned that more strikes would follow.