Insurgency: Be wary of US help, experts tell FG

File picture of President Bola Tinubu | Photo: Presidency

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Experts in international relations and political science, at a roundtable held on Wednesday at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, stressed the need for the Federal Government to be circumspect in seeking assistance from the United States in the fight against terrorism.

The experts at the session included Prof Femi Otubanjo, Prof Hassan Saliu, Prof Funke Okoome, Prof Jibo Ibrahim, Prof Dapo Thomas, Magnus Onyibe, Prof Adele Jinadu and Prof Eghosa Osaghae.

Offering their perspectives on the theme, “Nigeria–USA Relations: Matters Arising,” the scholars said that while Nigeria should continue to engage with the US, it must recognise that not all help is philanthropic or born out of magnanimity.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu, following President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern, appointed National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to head Nigeria’s delegation on the US-Nigeria joint working group to deepen collaboration between the two countries on security.

Earlier this week, the United States delegation comprising the US ambassador to Nigeria and other top officials parleyed with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in Abuja, on the reported Christian persecution and killings in the country.

Leading the charge at Wednesday’s roundtable, Okoome, a professor of political science, argued that America would not assist Nigeria without seeking its own strategic gains.

She maintained that the US government may be keen on advancing its business interests in Nigeria.

“We are neonates thinking America will help and just leave,” she said.

She noted, however, the government’s consistent failure to fulfil its fundamental duty of providing security until it is prodded into action by the US.

She added that the Federal Government continues to act like a dependent state in international politics, questioning why it struggles to embark on a serious investigation to identify the root causes of terrorism and prosecute its sponsors.

Okoome said, “Weak countries like ours can work with strong actors. However, there is no magnanimity by the US. We should know that the Trump government is transactional. We need to confidently negotiate, but national interest should be the priority.”

Speaking, Thomas, a professor of international relations, blamed the Federal Government for failing to maintain a standing committee on Nigeria–US relations, noting that it was only President Donald Trump’s threat of invasion that compelled the setting up of the committee led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to negotiate with the US.

“Trump might have arrived at the ‘Country of Particular Concern’ designation for Nigeria due to lack of appropriate information, ignorance, or alleged genocide happening in Nigeria.

“We should have a standing committee mediating with the US government rather than the present ad hoc set-up. We need to work on raising our status globally, as we ridicule our sovereignty.

“If the US government strikes, there’s nothing Nigeria can do, as we lack the capacity, armament and weaponry to fight back. So we have to continue to engage with them,” Thomas said.

Otubanjo, who chaired the event, pointed to a breakdown in government-to-government relations between Nigeria and the US, saying this had forced Washington to resort to direct contact with Nigerians to gather information about happenings in the country.

Otubanjo said, “It is interesting that rather than the usual government-to-government relations, the US government went to the people to gather information on the state of security in Nigeria.

“Yes, US assistance is required to fight insecurity, but not all help is philanthropic.

“We must also stand up to our leaders if the government is not doing well, rather than wait to be pushed into action by foreign intervention.”

Osaghae, the NIIA Director-General, backed continued engagement with the US, even as he urged government to show stronger resolve in tackling present insecurity before discussing long-term sustainable security.

On his part, Onyibe, a public policy analyst, supported engagement with the US, noting that Nigeria needs help to fix both security and the economy.

He criticised the Bola Tinubu administration for focusing heavily on economic reforms for over two years, only becoming serious with security and international relations after Trump’s threat.

Onyibe said, “International relations was not given the needed attention. No ambassador was appointed. There was no one the US could easily engage with. We are only sitting up following Trump’s threat. So we must negotiate and continuously engage with the US. We need help to fix security alongside fixing the economy.”

Prof Saliu described Nigeria–US relations as “always up and down,” pointing to historical disagreements and divergent positions on decolonisation, human rights, mineral resources and support for other countries.

“America would always want to have its way,” he warned.

He questioned whether Nigeria still sees itself as Africa’s powerhouse or whether its leaders are aligned with foreign countries for personal interests.

Prof Ibrahim, a scholar and activist, remarked that Trump was a bully, insisting his threat was meant to cow weak countries like Nigeria into submission.

Ibrahim stressed that it would always be “America first” for the US, adding that Trump’s guns-a-blazing posture might also be linked to the US being pushed out of the Sahel and its quest to regain influence in parts of Africa.

Jinadu, a political science scholar, questioned whether Africa remained the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy, citing the Tinubu government’s increasing closeness to France.

Jinadu said, “We are getting less and less involved in Africa. Africa as centre of our foreign policy has broken down — look at our recent focus on France. There is also serious elite fracture and we really need to stand up to the political class.”

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