US cannot launch military action in Nigeria without FG approval – Bwala

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has said it would be diplomatically unacceptable for the United States to carry out any military operation in Nigeria without the express consent of the Federal Government.

In an interview with the BBC World Service, Bwala stressed that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and that any foreign intervention in its security challenges must be done collaboratively and with due respect for its territorial integrity.

His remarks follow recent comments 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 “move fast” to address insecurity or risk losing all US aid. He further threatened to deploy America’s “department of war” against terrorist groups he claims are targeting Christians in the country.

Bwala, however, said Trump’s remarks had been largely misunderstood, expressing confidence that the issues would be clarified when President Tinubu and the US leader meet in the coming days. He also commended Trump for approving arms sales to Nigeria during his first term—a gesture he described as one made in good faith.

He dismissed claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, explaining that insecurity affects all citizens regardless of religious belief.

“We are grateful to President Donald Trump because during his first term, he used executive powers to approve arms sales that helped Nigeria fight insurgency,” Bwala said. “In his second term, he has shown renewed interest in combating Boko Haram, which we welcome, but such efforts must be based on reliable, data-driven assessments—not isolated reports or social media content.”

Responding to Trump’s suggestion of direct US military action, Bwala insisted that such an operation would only be acceptable if done jointly with the Nigerian government.

“If it is a joint action with Nigeria, that is fine,” he said. “But diplomatically, it is wrong to invade a sovereign country without collaboration—especially one that is your partner in combating insecurity.

“Such unilateral intervention only occurs when there is intelligence suggesting the government itself is complicit in fuelling a crisis. That is certainly not the case in Nigeria.”