The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, says security challenges in Nigeria have grown more intense since remarks made by US President Donald Trump last month.
Bwala spoke on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he linked the recent rise in attacks to both Nigeria’s election cycle and the impact of Trump’s public statements.
“There are two theories behind the incessant security problems in Nigeria. The first is that as an election cycle approaches, these incidents tend to occur back-to-back,” he said.
“But there is an even stronger theory being discussed lately. After Donald Trump’s initial outburst, we began to witness repeated security incidents. Some people think it may be an attempt to justify talk of a possible military intervention in Nigeria.”
Trump had redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” accusing the government of enabling what he called Christian genocide. He warned that the US could intervene militarily to “fish out” those behind the violence if the Nigerian government failed to act.
The US Congress has already held two sessions since October 31, when Trump directed the House Appropriations Committee to investigate alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Bwala stressed that the Nigerian government is worried about both global perception and the daily experiences of Nigerians who face insecurity.
He explained that Nigeria’s size and terrain also contribute to difficulties in tackling criminal groups.
“Niger State is larger than some European countries. In northern Nigeria, which is different from the south, the cities are far apart. In the south, cities are close to each other, but in the north, travelling from one city to another feels like travelling to another country,” he said.
“Large expanses of land have little or no population and no government presence. These are the areas where these elements hide and operate from.”
He added that the government is working to address the situation and restore stability.
