JUST IN: ‘Nigeria Can’t Fight Terrorists Alone’ – Shehu Sani Backs US Troops
Former senator Shehu Sani has thrown his weight behind Nigeria’s new security cooperation with the United States, saying the country needs international support to defeat terrorism.
He spoke on Wednesday during a television interview following the arrival of American military personnel in Nigeria.
Sani said the country must not reject help at a time when insecurity continues to claim lives and displace communities.
“We can’t continue to fold our arms while terrorists continue to slaughter and kidnap our people, and then close our doors against support from other countries,” he said.
“The fight is our fight, but support is very much needed as long as it is a partnership.”
His remarks followed confirmation by the Defence Headquarters that 100 United States troops and military equipment had entered the country to assist Nigerian forces. The troops are expected to provide technical and operational support aimed at improving counter-terrorism efforts and protecting vulnerable populations.
The Defence Headquarters said the deployment was part of an agreement between both countries to boost Nigeria’s capacity to confront armed groups operating in different regions.
The development has, however, triggered public debate. Some groups and analysts have expressed fears that the presence of foreign troops could threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Sani acknowledged these concerns but insisted that the nation is facing a larger danger.
“I have read the strong statement issued by my friends opposed to ‘foreign military presence’ in our country. I share their views on the need for us to protect our ‘sovereignty’,” he said.
“I understand their distrust and fears about the US troops on our soil. Unfortunately, our ‘sovereignty’ has already been violated by ‘foreign terrorists’ presence’.”
He added that military cooperation is not unusual, noting that even powerful nations rely on alliances to achieve security objectives.
“There is no military anywhere in the world that doesn’t cooperate with the militaries of other nations to achieve its objectives. Even superpowers have to work with others to achieve their goals,” Sani said.
The arrival of the American troops comes months after U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing the “killing” of Christians.
He warned that military action could be considered if the situation did not improve. Nigerian authorities rejected the claim and defended the country’s security efforts.
In December, the United States carried out targeted strikes against terrorist locations in Nigeria, an operation both governments described as a joint action. This was followed by visits from senior Nigerian officials to Washington and separate assessments by U.S. lawmakers who toured parts of the country affected by violence.
In a related development, Politics Nigeria had earlier reported the confirmation by the Defence Headquarters on the arrival of U.S. military trainers and equipment to support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations.
