US Cannot Launch Military Action in Nigeria Without Federal Government’s Consent — Bwala

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

Speaking in an interview with the BBC World Service, Bwala emphasized that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and that any foreign assistance on security matters must respect its territorial integrity and be conducted in partnership with the government.

His comments come in response to recent statements by US President Donald Trump, who on 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, further hinting at possible military action by the US “department of war” against groups he claims are targeting Christians.

Bwala, however, maintained that Trump’s remarks had been largely misinterpreted, expressing optimism that the issue would be clarified when President Tinubu meets with the US leader in the coming days.

He also commended Trump for his previous support to Nigeria, recalling that during his first term, he approved critical arms sales to aid the fight against insurgency.

“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.”

Addressing Trump’s suggestion of a possible direct US military intervention, Bwala stressed that such an action would only be legitimate if done in concert with Nigeria.

“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 happens when there is evidence that the host government is complicit in the crisis. That is certainly not the case in Nigeria.”