Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has stated that former U.S. President Donald Trump cannot carry out any military operation in Nigeria without President Tinubu’s approval.
Speaking during an interview with BBC World Service on Monday, Bwala emphasized that Nigeria is a sovereign nation, and any external intervention in its internal security matters must be done with full respect for its territorial integrity.
His remarks followed Trump’s recent comments designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” and threatening to deploy America’s “Department of War” to protect Christians allegedly being persecuted in the country.
“If it’s a joint operation with Nigeria, that’s acceptable,” Bwala said. “But diplomatically, it is wrong to invade a sovereign nation without collaboration—especially one that remains a strategic partner in the fight against insecurity.”
Bwala explained that international law recognizes unilateral military intervention only when there’s clear evidence that a government is complicit in an ongoing crisis — a claim he strongly dismissed in Nigeria’s case. “Unilateral intervention only happens when there is evidence that a government is complicit in a crisis. That is certainly not the case in Nigeria,” he affirmed.
He reiterated that Nigeria remains committed to peace and security both within and across its borders, maintaining strong partnerships with allied nations, including the United States, in tackling terrorism and insurgency.
