Daniel Bwala, who serves as the Special Adviser on Policy Communication for President Bola Tinubu, emphasizes the importance of Nigeria’s independence in response to Donald Trump’s warning about mobilizing America’s ‘department of war.’
Daniel Bwala has categorically asserted that it would be entirely improper from a diplomatic standpoint for the United States to undertake any kind of military action within Nigeria unless it receives explicit approval from the Federal Government.
During a discussion on the BBC World Service, Bwala highlighted that Nigeria functions as an independent state and that any external involvement in handling its security issues should occur through cooperative efforts, while fully honoring its national borders and autonomy.
The statements from Bwala come in the wake of observations made last Friday by U.S. President Donald Trump, who labeled Nigeria a “country of particular concern (CPC)” due to claims of mistreatment toward Christians. Trump cautioned that Nigeria needs to “move fast” in tackling its instability or face the complete cutoff of American assistance. Additionally, he issued a threat to activate America’s “department of war” to confront militant organizations that he alleges are attacking Christians throughout the nation.
Nevertheless, Bwala conveyed optimism that these matters will be resolved during the upcoming discussions between President Tinubu and the American president, implying that Trump’s statements have mostly been misinterpreted.
He rejected allegations of a systematic extermination of Christians in Nigeria, pointing out that the pervasive lack of safety impacts every individual irrespective of their faith. Bwala further praised Trump for his previous assistance, observing:
“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.”
Addressing the idea of independent U.S. military involvement head-on, Bwala remained absolutely clear, maintaining that any such initiative could only proceed if it involves partnership with the Nigerian authorities.
“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.”
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