By: Sunday Ameh
The Presidency has insisted that the United States cannot undertake any form of military operation in Nigeria without the express approval of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made this known on Monday during an interview with BBC World Service, stressing that Nigeria remains a sovereign nation whose territorial integrity must be respected.
Bwala’s remarks come in response to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians. Trump had also warned that Nigeria risked losing U.S. assistance if it failed to address insecurity, while hinting at possible military action against terrorist groups targeting Christian communities.
Reacting, Bwala said Trump’s comments were widely misconstrued, expressing confidence that the matter would be clarified when President Tinubu meets with the U.S. leader in the coming days.
He commended Trump for supporting Nigeria during his previous term by approving arms sales that strengthened Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, insisting the U.S. remains an important partner in the fight against insurgency.
Bwala, however, noted that any foreign involvement in Nigeria’s security operations must be based on collaboration and mutual respect.
“If it’s a joint operation with Nigeria, that’s acceptable,” Bwala stated. “But diplomatically, it is wrong to invade a sovereign nation without collaboration—especially one that remains a strategic partner in the fight against insecurity.”
He dismissed claims of a religious-targeted conflict in the country, insisting insecurity affects communities across religious and ethnic lines.
Bwala maintained that unilateral U.S. military intervention would only be justified if a government were complicit in ongoing violence — a situation he stressed is not applicable in Nigeria.
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