Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said any U.S. military operation in Nigeria would be unacceptable without the Nigerian government’s consent.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Bwala noted that President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about Nigeria had been misinterpreted, adding that both leaders would clarify the issues when they eventually meet.
He stated that there is no genocide in Nigeria but acknowledged the existence of serious security problems affecting people of all religions, including Christians.
Bwala recalled that during Trump’s first term, his administration approved arms sales to Nigeria to support the country’s fight against insurgency.
He reaffirmed that Nigeria is a sovereign nation that values cooperation with international allies in tackling insecurity, but stressed that any intervention must uphold the country’s sovereignty.
According to him, it would be diplomatically inappropriate for the United States to take any military action without first consulting and obtaining approval from the Nigerian government.
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“I believe there’s been a misunderstanding of President Donald Trump’s recent remarks. When the leaders eventually meet, I am confident they will have the opportunity to clarify these issues. There is no genocide taking place in Nigeria; rather, the nation faces serious security challenges that have affected people across all faiths, including Christians. During President Trump’s first administration, his executive action facilitated the sale of arms to Nigeria to strengthen our fight against insurgency.
“Nigeria remains a sovereign nation, and while collaboration with international partners in addressing insecurity is welcome, any form of intervention must respect our sovereignty. It would not be diplomatically appropriate for the United States to take unilateral action without engagement and consent from the Nigerian government.”
This followed Trump’s post on his Truth Social account on Saturday, directing the U.S. War Department to prepare for potential action in Nigeria.
Trump accused the Nigerian government of ignoring what he described as the “genocide of Christians” in the country and warned that the U.S. would suspend all aid if the attacks persisted.
He also hinted that America might use military force to eliminate the “Islamic terrorists” responsible for the killings.