By Obinna Uballa
France and the United States intensified their engagement with Nigeria over its worsening security crisis on Sunday, amid renewed global scrutiny triggered by allegations of Christian genocide and escalating extremist attacks across the country.
President Emmanuel Macron of France held a telephone conversation with President Bola Tinubu, offering firm support for the Nigerian government’s efforts to contain terrorism and widespread violence. At the same time, a United States surveillance fighter jet was reportedly sighted over parts of Kwara and Ekiti States, as senior American officials arrived in Abuja for high-level security consultations.
Posting on X, Macron said he assured Tinubu of France’s solidarity “in the face of the various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the North,” adding that Paris would step up its partnership with Abuja at Tinubu’s request.
“We will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. No one can remain a spectator,” Macron stated.
His message came as gun attacks, kidnappings, and school raids continue to spread across northern Nigeria, drawing intense condemnation from Western governments and international observers.
The call also followed Tinubu’s swearing-in of a new Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), and his declaration of a nationwide security emergency on November 26.
Macron’s reassurance came in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent accusations of Christian genocide in Nigeria. Earlier in November, Trump threatened to invade the country and subsequently re-designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution.
The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected claims of religiously targeted killings, insisting the violence affects Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers alike.
Still, the allegations have intensified global scrutiny and prompted Abuja to seek wider diplomatic support.
U.S. Delegation Meets NSA Amid Aerial Surveillance
On the same day Macron spoke with Tinubu, a U.S. delegation, including the American ambassador to Nigeria, met with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu in Abuja for talks centred on religious killings, extremism, and intelligence cooperation.
Their visit coincided with unusual U.S. military activity in Nigerian airspace.
Security analysts reported that a U.S. surveillance fighter jet flew over Kwara and Ekiti States in what is believed to be part of a broader intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission originating from a U.S. military facility in Ghana.
Sahel conflict reporter Brant Phillip disclosed that these flights marked “the first time the U.S. is conducting ISR in southwest Nigeria.”
According to him, the aircraft hovered for extended periods over Kwara and Ekiti collecting intelligence data, a move that signals heightened American attention to potential extremist expansion into previously stable regions.
Phillip also revealed additional ISR operations in northern hotspots, including Kainji in Niger State and Tangaza in Sokoto, areas linked to Islamic State affiliates.
Some of the missions reportedly involved transponders switching on and off — a tactic used in covert intelligence collection.
Sources: U.S. May Secure Approval for Drone Strikes
In a significant escalation, a source familiar with ongoing security negotiations told Phillip that the United States may have secured provisional approval to conduct unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) airstrikes against terrorist targets inside Nigeria.
Under the reported arrangement, only unmanned aircraft — not manned fighter jets or bombers — would be authorised for offensive operations.
Kainji Air Base in Niger State is believed to be a possible hub for such missions, although no official confirmation has been made by either government.
Analysts say if implemented, the arrangement would mark the most substantial U.S. military involvement in Nigeria since the early days of the Boko Haram insurgency. It also suggests a shift in Washington’s posture – from cautious diplomatic engagement to direct counterterrorism support.
