Nigerians living in the United States have opposed any idea of U.S. military involvement in Nigeria under the pretext of protecting Christians.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in New York, President of the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN), Ms. Temi Aregbesola, said the group, along with 19 other Nigerian organisations in the U.S., firmly rejected such a proposal.
The statement noted that while Nigerians in the diaspora shared concerns over the continued killings of Christians, Muslims, and other innocent citizens, they opposed any form of foreign military action within Nigeria’s borders.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation, and the protection of its citizens must remain the duty of the Nigerian government, exercised through collaboration and not coercion,” the groups said.
They warned that the presence of foreign troops would not resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, urging instead that the Federal Government assume full responsibility for safeguarding lives and property.
The organisations expressed disappointment at the failure of successive governments to curb rising violence and insecurity affecting communities and indigenous groups across several states.
According to them, the increasing pattern of attacks and displacement of civilians highlights deep security lapses and a lack of accountability in the system.
They called on the Federal Government to take decisive steps to stop the killings nationwide and to strengthen the protection of vulnerable populations through better coordination among federal, state, and local authorities.
The statement also encouraged the government to deepen collaboration with the United States and other international partners by sharing intelligence, training security forces, and improving access to modern technology and logistics support.
However, the groups stressed that such cooperation must not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty, insisting that “no foreign boots should be allowed on Nigerian soil.”
