By John Umeh
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has cautioned that the United States has no authority to conduct any military operation in Nigeria without the explicit consent of the Federal Government.
Bwala made this known during an interview with the BBC World Service, stressing that Nigeria remains a fully sovereign state and that any foreign involvement in its security affairs must be carried out in partnership with the government and in accordance with international diplomatic standards.
His statement followed remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who last week listed Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” due to alleged persecution of Christians. Trump warned that unless Nigeria addresses its security challenges promptly, the U.S. might withdraw aid and could deploy America’s so-called “department of war” to confront terrorist groups he claims are targeting Christians in the country.
Reacting to Trump’s comments, Bwala described the remarks as “largely misunderstood,” noting that insecurity in Nigeria is not driven by religion but affects citizens across all faiths and regions.
“Nigeria is an independent nation that maintains diplomatic relations with all its partners, including the United States,” Bwala said. “Any form of military intervention on our soil without approval from the Federal Government would be seen as a breach of our sovereignty and international law.”
He further explained that President Tinubu is expected to meet with President Trump in the coming days to discuss mutual interests and clarify issues related to security, cooperation, and bilateral relations.
Bwala also expressed appreciation for Trump’s earlier support to Nigeria, recalling that during his first term, the former U.S. president approved the sale of military hardware that enhanced Nigeria’s fight against insurgency.
“We appreciate President Trump for his support in the past, particularly for facilitating arms sales that helped us combat terrorism. We welcome his renewed interest in helping Nigeria fight insecurity, but such cooperation must be grounded in verified intelligence and mutual respect, not sensational reports or social media claims,” Bwala added.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s position, Bwala emphasized that any military engagement involving a foreign power must be jointly executed and mutually agreed upon.
“If it’s a coordinated action with the Nigerian government, that’s acceptable. But a unilateral move by any country to deploy troops or launch operations within our borders would be diplomatically unacceptable and counterproductive,” he stated.
Bwala concluded by underscoring Nigeria’s commitment to international collaboration while protecting its sovereignty and ensuring that all security partnerships are built on trust, cooperation, and lawful consent.
