Russia Tells U.S. To Back Off Nigeria Amid Reports Of Planned Military Strikes
Russia has cautioned the United States to stay clear of Nigeria following reports that Washington is preparing for possible military intervention in the West African nation.
During a press briefing in Moscow on Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow is “closely monitoring developments” and called on “all parties involved to strictly comply with international legal norms.”
Reports earlier in the week indicated that U.S. defense officials had drawn up plans for air and ground strikes in Nigeria under President Donald Trump’s directive. The reported plan, according to American officials, is aimed at protecting Christians allegedly under attack by Islamic militants.
President Trump recently redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” alleging that Christians in the country are victims of persecution. He warned that the U.S. would enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” if the government “continued to ignore the attacks.”
However, President Bola Tinubu and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have rejected the genocide claims, insisting that Nigeria’s conflict is driven by terrorism and banditry rather than religion. The presidency stated that while it welcomes international support to combat insecurity, it would not tolerate actions that threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Reaffirming Russia’s position, Zakharova said her government is watching the issue closely and expects “all nations to respect international law.”
In a related interview with Russian national television, Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communication, said Nigeria “does not need American boots on its soil.” He acknowledged that the country faces security challenges but emphasized that the government has made “massive progress” in addressing them.
