The United States Department of Defense, in coordination with the Nigerian Ministry of Defence, confirmed on Thursday, the departure of the majority of American special operations and support forces previously deployed to the region.
​The withdrawal marks the formal conclusion of Operation Sandhawk Vanguard, a highly coordinated, six-month bilateral campaign that severely degraded Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and remnants of Boko Haram.
​At its peak, the deployment included approximately 450 U.S. military personnel, primarily consisting of Army Special Forces, intelligence analysts, and logistics experts. According to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), fewer than 50 personnel will remain in Nigeria to transition back to a standard security cooperation and advisory role.
​”Our joint forces achieved every major strategic objective we set out to accomplish,” said Major General Marcus Vance, AFRICOM Director of Operations, during a press briefing. “The capability, resilience, and bravery of the Nigerian Armed Forces have proven that they are fully equipped to maintain pressure on violent extremist organizations moving forward.”
​The joint operations, concentrated heavily around the Lake Chad Basin and northeastern corridors, yielded several critical breakthroughs. Precision intelligence sharing led to the capture or neutralization of three top-tier ISWAP regional commanders.
Joint forces successfully dismantled over a dozen remote logistics hubs, bomb-making factories, and illicit supply routes.
Key agricultural and trading communities in Borno State were secured and handed back to local civilian oversight, allowing thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to begin returning home.
​While the physical footprint of American boots on the ground is shrinking, both Washington and Abuja emphasized that the strategic partnership remains ironclad. The remaining U.S. contingent will focus on long-term capacity building, including advanced drone reconnaissance training and tactical medicine instruction at Nigerian military bases.
​Nigerian Defence Headquarters spokesperson, Brigadier General Tunde Oladipo, praised the collaborative effort but noted that Nigeria is ready for the next phase.
​”The tactical synergy we experienced with our American counterparts was invaluable,” Oladipo stated. “However, the ultimate responsibility for Nigeria’s territorial integrity rests on our shoulders. This drawdown is a vote of confidence in our military’s standalone readiness.”
​The departing troops are scheduled to redeploy to bases in Germany and the United States over the coming week.
