US cannot launch military action in Nigeria without FG approval – Tinubu’s aide, Bwala

 Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, stresses Nigeria's sovereignty following Donald Trump’s threat to deploy America’s ‘department of war.’

Daniel Bwala has firmly stated that 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 any foreign intervention in its security challenges must be done collaboratively, with due respect for its territorial integrity.


Bwala’s remarks follow comments last Friday by US President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” over the alleged persecution of Christians. Trump 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, expressed confidence that the issues would be clarified when President Tinubu and the US leader meet in the coming days, suggesting Trump’s remarks had been largely misunderstood.

He dismissed claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, arguing that insecurity affects all citizens regardless of religious belief. Bwala also commended Trump for past support, noting:


“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. 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 directly to the suggestion of unilateral US military action, Bwala was unequivocal, insisting that such an operation would only be acceptable if conducted jointly with the Nigerian government.

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