Nigeria is prioritizing regionally-led counterterrorism efforts and rejecting large-scale international military intervention, a stance affirmed by Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar during a visit to Berlin this week. Addressing concerns regarding persistent terrorist activity, particularly in the nation’s northeast, Tuggar emphasized the preference for collaboration with African partners through existing multinational task forces, notably those tackling the Boko Haram conflict. This approach, he stated, is more effective than imposing externally-driven solutions.
The declaration follows heightened scrutiny of Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategies, spurred by a recent threat from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who alluded to potential unilateral military action and criticized the Nigerian government’s handling of violence against Christians, threatening to halt aid. While acknowledging the potential for external assistance, Tuggar’s statement signifies a clear intention to retain control over its security policy and steer away from a direct reliance on foreign military deployment.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul commended Nigeria’s efforts, highlighting the shared interest in combating terrorism and radical Islamism, which poses a continuing threat to Europe. He recognized Nigeria’s significant contributions to regional and global stability, extending beyond West Africa. Wadephul signaled Germany’s commitment to strengthening cooperation in areas of peace, international security and counterterrorism, with a focus on supporting the training and equipping of Nigerian security forces.
The sustained terrorist violence, characterized by attacks on civilian populations, including schools, churches, mosques and marketplaces, underscores the complexity of the security challenges facing Nigeria, a nation of over 230 million people. Nigeria’s cautious approach, whilst affirming its sovereignty, raises questions regarding the efficacy of exclusively regional solutions in the face of sophisticated and trans-national terrorist networks. The degree to which current regional frameworks possess the capacity and resources to effectively neutralize the threat remains a subject of ongoing evaluation and scrutiny within international security circles.