Daniel Bwala warns that any US military action in Nigeria without consent would breach diplomacy and disrespect the nation’s sovereignty.

Daniel Bwala has warned that any United States military operation in Nigeria without the government’s consent would be diplomatically unacceptable and a violation of the country’s sovereignty.

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Speaking to the BBC World Service on Monday, Daniel Bwala, who serves as Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, stressed that Nigeria remains an independent nation and that any foreign intervention must be collaborative and grounded in mutual respect.

His remarks follow comments by former US President Donald Trump, who recently labelled Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians. Trump also threatened to cut aid and hinted at deploying America’s “Department of War” against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria.

Bwala dismissed the notion of unilateral military action, describing it as a dangerous and diplomatically reckless approach. He clarified that cooperation on security must involve the explicit participation of the Nigerian government.

He also expressed gratitude to Trump for authorising arms sales to Nigeria during his first term, calling it a goodwill gesture that strengthened the nation’s counterterrorism capacity. However, Bwala cautioned that recent statements had been “largely misinterpreted” and expected that President Tinubu’s forthcoming meeting with Trump would provide clarity.

Addressing reports of a so-called “Christian genocide,” Bwala insisted that insecurity in Nigeria cuts across all religious lines and urged for balanced, fact-based reporting.

“If it’s a joint operation with Nigeria, that’s acceptable,” he 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.”

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According to Daniel Bwala, only cooperative intelligence sharing and transparent diplomacy can strengthen Nigeria–US relations and ensure effective action against terrorism without undermining Nigeria’s autonomy.