The United States has withdrawn most of its military personnel deployed to Nigeria for a joint counterterrorism mission in the Lake Chad Basin, while maintaining intelligence-sharing and other security cooperation with Nigerian authorities.

The Commander of the US Air Forces in Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, announced the development during a virtual press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.

Anderson said the partnership between Washington and Abuja remains strong, particularly in intelligence operations targeting the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh).

According to him, the specific mission that required the deployment of US troops has been successfully completed, leading to the withdrawal of most of the personnel. He, however, stressed that the United States would continue providing intelligence support at the request of the Nigerian government.

“And so that operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helps countries globally as it disrupts the ISIS network,” Anderson said.

“And so we have withdrawn much of our forces that were there specifically for that operation, but we are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to support intelligence sharing and provide the understanding necessary to prosecute these difficult tasks.”

The US Air Force commander described Nigeria as a key regional partner with a capable military, noting that cooperation between both countries has yielded significant gains in the fight against ISIS.

He credited intelligence collaboration between the two nations with enabling the operation that eliminated Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the second-highest-ranking leader of ISIS, who was responsible for much of the group’s global operations, media activities and recruitment.

“I think the partnership we’ve shown recently with Nigeria demonstrates what can be achieved. Nigeria is a capable country with a strong economy, a large, educated population and a professional military,” Anderson said.

“There are things we have learned over years of counterterrorism operations that we were able to integrate with Nigeria’s efforts. By combining intelligence sharing with unique US capabilities, we were able to support a cooperative operation that eliminated the number two leader of ISIS.”

According to Anderson, the operation highlights the effectiveness of intelligence collaboration rather than prolonged foreign troop deployments.

“As we move forward, this is the model we want to pursue—bringing unique US capabilities that enable our partners to be more effective in confronting terrorist threats,” he added.

The US commander also called for stronger intelligence cooperation among African countries to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and other transnational crimes.

He cited a recent multinational operation that intercepted a record 31-ton shipment of cocaine originating from South America and transiting through the West African coastline. According to him, intelligence sharing among partner nations made the seizure possible.

“I coordinated through our interagency partners in the United States, through AFRICOM, and informed regional partners. Eventually, it was a Spanish naval vessel that intercepted the ship carrying 31 tons of cocaine—the largest drug seizure at sea on record,” Anderson said.

He stressed that sustained collaboration among African governments, international partners and the private sector would be essential to addressing security challenges, promoting economic growth and attracting investment across the continent.

The United States deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to support intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin as both countries expanded cooperation against ISIS and other extremist groups operating in the region.

The deployment followed US President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and his pledge to strengthen American support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.

On December 25, 2025, US forces carried out airstrikes on two terrorist camps in the Bauni Forest in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The security partnership recorded a major breakthrough in May 2026 when a joint US-Nigerian operation killed Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS, during a raid on his hideout in Borno State.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday warned that many of the factors that triggered Nigeria’s three-year civil war in 1967 are still with the country, stressing that every effort must be made to prevent a recurrence of such a conflict, which resulted in huge losses of lives and property.

Obasanjo made the remark while receiving a book, research materials, videos and interviews of eyewitnesses documenting the Asaba Massacre and related events, compiled by the Chairman of the Asaba Memorial Trust and the Asaba Image Branding and Project Committee, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

He described the prospect of another civil war as unthinkable, insisting that the country had already fought “one civil war too many.”

He said, “What went wrong in the past is essential to preventing a repeat. We must do everything humanly possible to prevent its recurrence.”

He called on Nigerians to collectively adopt a “never again” resolve against civil war.

“Some of the things that led to the Civil War are still with us. How long will this remain so?

“I was with a colleague when Gen Yakubu Gowon said that we would not survive a second civil war as a country.

I believe we have fought one civil war too many already.

“To say that we will have a second civil war, God forbid.

We must understand what happened, condemn what should not have happened, and do everything humanly possible to prevent its recurrence.

“And then, for us to be able to say, ‘never again,’ what are we going to do to make that possible?

“Thank you very much for making people know about it, for people to learn from it, and for people to take a vow that it should never happen again. I will do everything possible to ensure that there is never again a civil war in this country,” he said.

The former President hailed Nduka-Eze for the effort to preserve history, saying the importance of documenting the past lies in helping the nation understand its history, learn from it and ensure such tragedies never happen again.

He added that at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, part of its value is to preserve the past, capture the present and inspire the future, while emphasising that understanding the events surrounding the civil war, including the Asaba massacre, remains critical for national healing.

“We pride ourselves that we preserve the past, we capture the present, and we inspire the future,” he said.

The former president, who acknowledged his role as a soldier during the civil war, said he could not provide detailed accounts of the Asaba incident, noting that operations in that area were under the command of the late former Head of State, Gen Murtala Mohammed.

Obasanjo recalled that towards the end of the war, he was given key responsibilities to ensure that no further massacres occurred, stressing that abuses by soldiers were not condoned.

He also noted that former Head of State, Gen Gowon, had publicly acknowledged and apologised for the excesses of the war, stating that, at the highest level, actions such as the Asaba massacre were neither ordered nor condoned.

The former president, who commended Nduka-Eze for the work, promised to study the transcripts and audiovisual materials.

“At OOPL, we pride ourselves that we preserve the past, we capture the present, and we inspire the future. We capture the past, and this is the past; we want to capture it; we want to know about it.

“I must confess, and you know that I was involved in the civil war. When people talk about the Asaba Massacre, I always confess that I cannot give details of it,” he said.

Obasanjo also narrated how he prevented a soldier from raping a woman in Asaba, saying such an act would have attracted vicarious liability on his part as a commander.

Obasanjo maintained that documenting and teaching the history of the civil war and the Asaba Massacre were vital for national unity, adding that he would do everything within his power to ensure Nigeria never experiences another civil war.

Providing insight into the work on the Asaba Massacre, Nduka-Eze described it as a substantial and carefully cross-referenced body of evidence, including eyewitness testimonies, recorded interviews, archival materials, audio-visual documentation and established historical scholarship.

He said that across independent sources, a clear and consistent account emerges of events following the entry of federal troops into Asaba, then a civilian population centre in the Mid-West Region.

“The evidence establishes a recurring pattern. Civilians were assembled in public places under conditions of fear and uncertainty. During these assemblies, residents were required to proclaim allegiance to the Nigerian state, including being instructed to declare ‘One Nigeria’ and otherwise demonstrate loyalty.

“In a setting where identity and suspicion had become dangerously intertwined, these acts were understood by those present as affirmations of belonging and safety. Men were then separated from women and children. Thereafter, unarmed male civilians were killed in a manner consistently described across multiple independent accounts.

“Compliance with these demands did not secure protection. The sequence, repeated across testimonies, reflects a tragic contradiction in which individuals who openly affirmed their identity and loyalty as Nigerians were nonetheless killed in the most undignified manner by the same Nigerian state to which they had pledged allegiance.

“This sequence is corroborated by testimonies, documentary materials and scholarly works, and remains materially unchallenged. While precise casualty figures cannot be definitively fixed, the convergence of credible evidence points to a substantial loss of civilian life, more than a thousand men, and a profound rupture in the fabric of the Asaba community,” he said.

Nduka-Eze added that deep-seated ethnic suspicion, unresolved grievances arising from Nigeria’s first military coup and the failure to enforce accountability were among the factors that culminated in the Asaba Massacre and the 1967 civil war.

According to him, ethnic mistrust did not begin with the war but had already become entrenched before independence.

He noted that many of the issues that led to the civil war remained unresolved, with ethnic groups still relating to one another with suspicion.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operating licences of 46 microfinance banks (MFBs) across the country for failing to comply with key regulatory requirements, in one of the regulator’s most sweeping enforcement actions in recent years.The apex bank announced the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali, stating that the revocation took effect from July 1, 2026.According to the CBN, the action was approved by its Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, in line with the provisions of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), 2020, as part of efforts to safeguard the financial system, protect depositors and ensure strict compliance with regulatory standards.
The CBN said the affected institutions failed to meet one or more of the conditions required to retain their operating licences.
“According to the revocation order, the action became necessary because of one or more of the following circumstances: insufficient assets to meet liabilities, closure of operations without the approval of the CBN, inactivity and cessation of financial intermediation, failure to commence operations within 12 months of licence approval, and failure to maintain minimum capital funds unimpaired by losses,” the statement said.
It added: “The revocation of the licences is part of the Bank’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the stability of the financial sector, protect depositors, and ensure that licensed institutions comply with current laws and regulatory requirements.”
The affected microfinance banks are:
Minji-Se Churchill MFB (Rivers)
Merchant MFB (Abia)
Janmaa MFB (Kwara)
Busu MFB (Niger)
Gold MFB (Lagos)
Zain MFB (formerly Dawakin Tofa MFB) (Kano)
Bompai MFB (Kano)
Ajwa MFB (Kano)
Now Now Digital MFB (Kano)
Crystabel Microfinance Bank (Bayelsa)
Chanelle MFB (Lagos)
Abia SME MFB (Abia)
Kamba MFB (Kebbi)
Iwade MFB (Ogun)
Winview MFB (Abuja)
Zuru MFB (Kebbi)
Minjibir MFB (Kano)
Shanono MFB (Kano)
Sumaila MFB (Kano)
Rimin Gado MFB (Kano)
Mwaghavul MFB (Plateau)
Sycamore MFB (Kano)
TOFA MFB (Kano)
Safegate MFB (Lagos)
Creekline MFB (Delta)
Bestar MFB (Oyo)
Livingspring MFB (Cross River)
Apple MFB (Ogun)
Stanford MFB (Uyo, Akwa Ibom)
Frontline MFB (Anambra)
Zafec MFB (Kaduna)
Supreme MFB (Lagos)
Bejin-Doko MFB (Niger)
Kanopoly MFB (Kano)
Bellbank MFB (formerly Tsanyawa MFB) (Kano)
Yeneng MFB (Plateau)
Creditville MFB (Lagos)
MBAG MFB (Lagos)
Straight Sahara MFB (Benue)
Our Pass MFB (Ondo)
VERDANT MFB (Lagos)
Basawa MFB (Kaduna)
Casha MFB (Abuja)
Esteem MFB (Kano)
Enterpreneur MFB (Lagos)
Avantus MFB (Osun)
The CBN reiterated its commitment to promoting a safe, sound and resilient financial system, stressing that it would continue to take supervisory and regulatory actions where necessary to maintain public confidence in Nigeria’s banking sector.
The latest enforcement action follows the banking recapitalisation programme introduced by the apex bank in March 2024, which gave financial institutions until March 31, 2026, to meet new minimum capital requirements.
Earlier this year, the CBN disclosed that 30 banks had successfully met the new capital threshold, while institutions that failed to comply continued to face regulatory sanctions.
With the revocation now in effect, the 46 affected institutions have lost their legal authority to operate as licensed microfinance banks in Nigeria.

Five Nigerians who were detained at the MACA Prison in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, since August 2025 have returned home following the intervention of the Federal Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.
The returnees were received on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, alongside the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and other government officials.
According to the ministry, six young men from Sokoto State had travelled by road to Abidjan for trading but were arrested and detained without charge or trial. They were identified as Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, Lyman Mohammed and Usama Murtala.
Following sustained diplomatic engagement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Mission in Côte d’Ivoire, the detainees were released.
However, one of them, Usama Murtala, fell seriously ill while in prison due to inadequate medical care. He died on June 24, 2026, at a critical care hospital, a day after his release. He was buried on June 25 in accordance with Islamic rites after consultations with his family.
“There was no charge sheet. There was no trial. They were simply detained and taken to prison,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
She explained that Nigerian authorities were not notified of the detention, delaying diplomatic intervention.
The minister added that the detainees neither spoke French nor had access to legal representation.
“They could not speak English in an environment where French was spoken. They never really stood a chance,” she said.
Describing Usama’s death as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by Nigerians abroad, particularly those undertaking irregular migration, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said many Nigerians imprisoned overseas are vulnerable young people seeking better opportunities but often become trapped in judicial systems they do not understand.
She disclosed that the Federal Government would pursue Usama’s case with the Ivorian authorities and seek compensation for his family.
The minister also cautioned Nigerians against embarking on risky journeys abroad, noting that many citizens imprisoned overseas were intercepted while transiting through foreign countries.
She said the government’s intervention was in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its Citizen Diplomacy initiative.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu appealed to the Sokoto State Government to provide rehabilitation and skills acquisition programmes for the five returnees, revealing that the Federal Government had formally requested the state to support their reintegration.
“They have endured severe pain, trauma and hardship, and deserve support to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the returnees, Aliyu Malami said he travelled to Côte d’Ivoire for business but ended up spending several months in detention under difficult conditions.
He said the language barrier prevented them from explaining their situation to the authorities and expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for securing their release.
Malami added that he intends to rebuild his life and return to legitimate business.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies provided relief packages to the returnees, who are expected to reunite with their families in Sokoto on Wednesday.