Why US troops dey comot for Nigeria and wetin e mean for fight against insecurity?

Di United States go withdraw about 200 military personnel from Nigeria by di end of September.

Dis go bring to di end one counter-terrorism deployment wey aim to help Nigerian forces fight Islamist militants.

Nigerian authorities don confam di planned withdrawal, say e no mean say security ties between Abuja and Washington don weak.

Many Nigerians don dey ask about wetin di withdrawal of US troops from Nigeria mean for di kontri fight against terrorism and how e fit affect di kontri ability to keep fighting insurgency.

Wetin dis withdrawal of US sojas mean for Nigeria fight against terrorism?

Security expert Buhari Ubandawaki wey follow tok with BBC News Pidgin for one interview say di withdrawal of US sojas from Nigeria represent one tactical shift from direct, on-di-ground coaching and training to more hands-off approach to di counterterrorism partnership.

E say di development mean Nigerian troops go need to independently sustain di security situation wey already dey stretched, while dem rely more on advanced technology, including drones and satellite images, to track di movement of terrorists and bandits for forests and oda difficult terrains.

“Di withdrawal of di US troops from Nigeria na tactical shift from on-di-ground coaching and training to hands-off from di counterterrorism partnership,” Ubandawaki tok.

E also explain say US troops fit no longer provide direct support on ground, dem fit continue to provide remote assistance and guidance to Nigerian forces on how to use advanced warfare technologies wey dem recently deploy to di region.

E point to air operations as anoda area wey Nigerian military gatz maintain dia capabilities.

“Among di collaboration efforts na di coordination of air-to-ground precision airstrikes on terrorist enclaves. Now, di Nigerian Air Force gatz ensure di maintenance of precision airstrikes while at di same time avoid civilian casualties for time wey dem dey conduct airstrikes,” im tok.

Wetin be di capabilities wey di US presence provide?

According to Ubandawaki, one of di major areas of US support na Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

E say dis include process and analysis of real-time information wey drones and satellites provide to track di movement of terrorists for difficult and dangerous areas.

“Di major capabilities di US troops provide mostly dey relate to Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), such as processing and analysing real-time data from drones and satellites to track terrorists movements for volatile terrains,” e tok.

Ubandawaki add say di US presence also provide technical communication support, wey help coordinate ground and air operations more precisely.

Anoda important capability, according to Ubandawaki, na di use of advanced night-vision equipment during military operations.

“One of di major support wey dem provide to Nigerian troops na di utilisation of advanced night-vision optics to conduct midnight raids against terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Lakurawa and odas,” e tok.

However, Ubandawaki note say signs dey say Nigerian forces dey increasingly develop dia own ability to use drones for intelligence gathering.

E say eyewitness accounts and recent monitoring don indicate say di Nigerian Army don start to use drones to gada intelligence and track terrorists.

E bring di recent attack for Sifawa town, Bodinga Local Govment Area of Sokoto State, as one example.

“One notable moment na di recent attack for Sifawa town of Bodinga Local Govment of Sokoto State, wia some eyewitnesses see di Nigerian Army use drones to chase di terrorists,” e tok.

According to am, di development show say di Nigerian Army ability to use technology for di ongoing fight against terrorism don improve.

Wetin di withdrawal fit mean for intelligence gathering and counterterrorism operations?

Ubandawaki say one of di major challenges Nigeria fit face na reduced access to immediate satellite data interpretation and reconnaissance information.

E explain say di US get access to much larger satellite and reconnaissance network, wey give dem advantage to gada and analyse information wey fit dey used to verify locations and coordinates for precision military operations.

“Nigeria now dey short of immediate satellite data interpretation, I believe say US sojas get more access to different satellites and reconnaissance data, if you consider say di US bin get more satellites for orbit compared to Nigeria,” e tok.

E say dat kain satellite capabilities fit dey important to quickly verify coordinates bifor precision attacks dey carried out.

“Nigerian troops wey dey work alongside di US troops na one added advantage to Nigeria for counterterrorism efforts,” e add.

Ubandawaki also warn say maintaining and repairing advanced military equipment fit bicom anoda wahala afta di withdrawal of US personnel.

E say equipment such as surveillance drones fit dey damaged or destroyed during operations, while di absence of technical experts for di operational areas fit delay repairs and redeployment.

“Additionally, di technical maintenance of di new warfare gadgets wey dem deploy to di general area to combat di terrorists fit get challenge wen di devices require servicing or maintenance,” e tok.

“For example, drones wey dem dey use for surveillance fit dey attacked or damaged during operations. Immediate repair, maintenance and redeployment of di gadgets back to di general area fit face some delays due to lack of technical experts available in di general area to provide immediate support.”