Overview
- Flight-tracking data and U.S. officials confirm a Tenax Aerospace Gulfstream V operating from Accra has conducted repeated overflights of Nigerian territory.
- The aircraft was recorded at MacDill Air Force Base on Nov. 7, flew to Ghana on Nov. 24, and has flown near-daily sorties over Nigeria since then.
- A former U.S. official said the missions include efforts to locate a kidnapped U.S. pilot and to gather intelligence on Boko Haram and ISWAP.
- Washington has re-listed Nigeria for religious freedom violations, imposed partial travel restrictions, and directed the Pentagon to prepare for possible fast military action.
- U.S. and Nigerian counterparts have set up a joint security task force, with the Pentagon citing productive meetings while declining to discuss operational details.