US military action in Nigeria must have the FG’s consent — President Tinubu’s aide, Daniel Bwala

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has stated that it would be diplomatically unacceptable for the United States to undertake any military operation in Nigeria without explicit approval from the Federal Government.

In an interview with BBC World Service, Bwala emphasized that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and any foreign involvement in its security matters must be conducted collaboratively and with full respect for the country’s territorial integrity.

His comments come in response to recent statements by US President Donald Trump, who last Friday designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” over alleged persecution of Christians. Trump also warned that Nigeria must act swiftly to address insecurity or risk losing US aid, and suggested that the American military could be deployed against groups he claims are targeting Christians.

He rejected claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, stressing that insecurity affects all citizens regardless of faith. “In his second term, [Trump] has shown renewed interest in combating Boko Haram, which we welcome but such efforts must rely on accurate data, not isolated reports or social media posts,” Bwala said.

Responding to Trump’s suggestion of direct US military action, Bwala insisted, “If it is a joint action with Nigeria, that is acceptable. But diplomatically, it is wrong to intervene unilaterally in a sovereign nation especially a partner in combating insecurity. Such action only occurs when the government itself is complicit in the crisis. That is not the case in Nigeria.”