Former senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has stressed that while foreign military assistance can be useful, Nigeria must ultimately take full responsibility for securing its territory, warning that the United States cannot “eternally fight our battles.”
Sani made the remarks while reacting to reports of recent military strikes on ISIS terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) had described the strikes as a joint operation carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
In a post on his verified X handle, the former lawmaker said that if the operation was indeed conducted jointly with Nigerian security agencies, as AFRICOM claimed, then it was both justified and necessary in light of the growing terrorist threat in the region.
“If actually the military strikes against terrorist targets in the North-West were a joint operation with the Nigerian authorities, then it is a conscionable action,” Sani said. “Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country. They live by the sword.”
However, he cautioned against over-reliance on foreign powers to solve Nigeria’s security challenges, insisting that sustainable peace and stability must be driven from within.
Sani also dismissed claims that terrorist violence in Nigeria targets only one religious group, describing such narratives as false and misleading.
“The narrative that the evil terrorists only target one faith remains absolutely false and misleading,” he stated.
Emphasising national responsibility, the former senator noted that while the United States and other foreign partners may offer support or even carry out unilateral strikes, Nigeria must not abdicate its primary duty of self-defence.
“The ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complementarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles,” Sani said.
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