US withdraws 200 troops from Nigeria; DHQ denies partnership breakdown

The US is withdrawing approximately 200 military personnel from Nigeria, a move the Nigerian Defence Headquarters publicly frames as not signaling an end to bilateral security cooperation. The underlying reason for the drawdown remains undisclosed, and it is unclear whether this reflects a policy shift, operational rebalancing, or a response to local conditions. The development matters as it touches the US-Nigeria counterterrorism and regional security posture in the Sahel/Lake Chad basin.