WorldStage– Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has officially dismissed reports claiming that the United States is planning to relocate its former drone base from Niger Republic to Nigeria, describing the information as unfounded and misleading.
While the DHQ denied the establishment of a permanent base, it confirmed a collaborative security arrangement involving the following details as of March 2026.
The U.S. had few days ago deployed multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones and approximately 200 personnel to support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations through intelligence sharing and training.
These assets, according to the Nigeria’s military, are operating from the Bauchi Airfield in North-East Nigeria.
The clarification follows the 2024 closure of a $100 million U.S. drone base in Niger after the country’s military government requested American forces to depart.
Military authorities clarified that this engagement is part of a newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell designed to provide actionable intelligence to Nigerian field commanders.
Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, emphasized that U.S. partners are in a strictly non-combat role and are not embedded with frontline units.
The drones are currently used solely for intelligence gathering and surveillance, not for conducting airstrikes.According to reports, the MQ-9 Reaper drones are advanced unmanned aerial systems capable of remaining airborne for over 27 hours, conducting surveillance missions, and, where authorised, carrying out precision strikes.
