* Donald Trump,
US President
The Pathfinder
Wednesday December 24, 2025
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The United States is allegedly conducting intelligence-gathering surveillance flights over Nigeria, according to a Reuters exclusive report on Monday. Flight tracking data and U.S. officials confirm the ongoing operation, which began in late November.
The report stated that these flights signal enhanced security cooperation between the two nations, despite existing diplomatic tensions.
While Reuters noted the exact purpose of the flights could not be independently confirmed, they follow November threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to consider military intervention in Nigeria. Trump cited the government’s perceived failure to stop violence against Christian communities. The operations also commence months after a U.S. missionary pilot was kidnapped in neighboring Niger.
Flight data for December indicates the contractor-operated aircraft typically departs from Accra, Ghana, flies over Nigeria, and returns to Ghana. The aircraft is operated by Mississippi-based Tenax Aerospace, a company known for providing special mission aircraft and working closely with the U.S. military. Tenax did not respond to requests for comment.
Liam Karr of the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project analyzed the data, suggesting the operation is based out of Accra, a known U.S. military logistics hub in Africa. “In recent weeks we’ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,” Karr told Reuters.
He suggested the flights indicate Washington is rebuilding regional intelligence capacity after Niger ordered U.S. troops to leave a major air base last year and turned to Russia for security assistance.
A former U.S. official said the aircraft was among assets moved to Ghana in November. While the number of aircraft there is unclear, the official stated the missions aim to locate the kidnapped U.S. pilot and collect intelligence on militant groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.
A current U.S. official confirmed the flights over Nigeria but declined to provide details due to diplomatic sensitivities. Another administration official said Washington continues to work with Nigeria to “address religious violence, anti-Christian attacks, and the destabilising spread of terrorism.” All officials spoke anonymously.
The Pentagon, in a statement, said productive meetings with Nigerian officials followed Trump’s message but declined to discuss intelligence activities. Nigerian and Ghanaian defense officials did not respond to requests for comment.
The Nigerian Federal Government has stated that armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, arguing that U.S. claims of Christian persecution oversimplify a complex security situation and overlook government efforts. Nigeria has, however, agreed to cooperate with Washington on countering militant threats.
A Nigerian security source said the U.S. agreed during a November 20 meeting between National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy air assets for intelligence gathering.
Flight data shows the Tenax Aerospace aircraft, a Gulfstream V business jet often modified for intelligence missions, was at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida on November 7 before flying to Ghana on November 24, shortly after the high-level talks. It has flown over Nigeria almost daily since.
The U.S. has taken punitive steps against Nigeria, including adding it back to a U.S. religious freedom violators list in October and placing it on a travel ban list last week. Trump has asked the Defense Department to prepare for potential “fast” military action if killings of Christians continue. U.S. Representative Riley Moore, who recently visited Nigeria, said the two countries have since established a joint security task force.
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