- Three US Military Aircraft Land at Maiduguri Airbase
- Philip described the development as part of preparations for a possible US-backed offensive against the ISWAP in Nigeria’s northeast
- Maiduguri Airbase is widely regarded as a key operational hub in the fight against ISWAP
Three United States military aircraft have landed at the Nigerian Air Force base in Maiduguri, Borno State, amid reports of increased security cooperation between Nigeria and the US.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Sahel security expert Brant Philip disclosed in a post on X that six US Air Force cargo planes arrived in West Africa between February 6 and 14, 2026.
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He described the development as part of preparations for a possible US-backed offensive against the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Nigeria’s northeast.
According to him, all six aircraft initially stopped in Accra, Ghana, before five proceeded to Nigerian Air Force bases.
Of the five that reportedly arrived in Nigeria, one C-17A aircraft landed at Kainji Airbase, while one C-130J-30 and three C-17A aircraft touched down at Maiduguri Airbase in Borno State. He added that all the aircraft departed the respective bases the same day they arrived.
Maiduguri Airbase is widely regarded as a key operational hub in the fight against ISWAP, which maintains a presence in parts of Borno State.
Meanwhile, a February 10 report by The Wall Street Journal indicated that American and Nigerian officials had discussed plans for the United States to deploy about 200 troops to Nigeria.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigerian military nor US authorities had issued an official statement regarding the aircraft landings or the reported troop deployment.
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