By Oluwabukunmi
The Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, has said that it would be diplomatically improper and a violation of international law for the United States to undertake any military operation in Nigeria without the express consent of the Federal Government.
Bwala made this known during an interview with the BBC World Service on Monday while reacting to comments by US President Donald Trump, who recently designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians and warned of possible military action.
Trump, in a post on his social media platform, had threatened to withhold US aid to Nigeria and hinted at deploying the US Department of War against what he described as “Islamic terrorists targeting Christians.”
Nigeria Remains a Sovereign State — Bwala
In response, Bwala maintained that Nigeria is a sovereign nation whose internal affairs must not be violated under the guise of humanitarian intervention.
“It would be diplomatically wrong and unacceptable for any country to invade a sovereign nation without collaboration,” he said. “Nigeria remains a strategic partner in the global fight against terrorism and has shown its commitment through joint operations, intelligence sharing, and regional peacekeeping.”
He added that any foreign involvement in Nigeria’s internal security must be done collaboratively and respectfully, in line with international law and diplomatic norms.
Trump’s Remarks ‘Misinterpreted’
Bwala, however, cautioned against overreacting to Trump’s comments, saying they may have been “largely misinterpreted.”
“We are confident that this issue will be clarified when President Tinubu meets with his US counterpart in the coming days,” he said.
He also commended the Trump administration for approving arms sales to Nigeria during its first term, describing the move as a “goodwill gesture” that bolstered Nigeria’s fight against insurgency.
“We are grateful to President Donald Trump because, during his first term, he authorised arms sales that strengthened Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations,” Bwala said. “In his second term, he has again shown interest in supporting the fight against Boko Haram, which we welcome — but such efforts must be guided by credible intelligence, not social media narratives.”
No ‘Christian Genocide’ in Nigeria
Dismissing allegations of a religiously targeted crisis, Bwala stressed that insecurity in Nigeria affects citizens across all faiths, not just Christians.
“Claims of a Christian genocide are misleading. The insecurity in Nigeria affects Muslims, Christians, and people of other faiths alike,” he explained. “Our focus as a government is to ensure the safety of all Nigerians, regardless of religion or ethnicity.”
US-Nigeria Relations Remain Strong
Bwala reaffirmed that Nigeria remains open to security partnerships with the United States but warned that any military initiative must have Nigeria’s full approval.
“If it’s a joint operation with Nigeria, that’s acceptable,” he said. “But unilateral intervention can only occur when there is evidence that a government is complicit in a crisis — and that is certainly not the case here.”
He emphasised that Nigeria and the US share long-standing diplomatic and strategic ties that should not be undermined by inflammatory rhetoric or unilateral actions.
“Nigeria values its partnership with the United States in counterterrorism, development, and diplomacy,” Bwala concluded. “Both nations must continue to engage constructively and respectfully.”
The Tinubu administration has yet to issue an official response to Trump’s remarks, though diplomatic sources suggest that discussions between the two governments may take place in the coming week.
