Adopt partnership, not force’ — Buratai advises US against military action in Nigeria

‘Adopt partnership, not force’ — Buratai advises US against military action in Nigeria

Tukur Buratai, former chief of army staff, has urged the United States to adopt a cooperative rather than coercive approach in its relations with Nigeria.

On Friday, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over claims of Christian genocide in the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Buratai described the Christian genocide claim as “a dangerous misrepresentation” of Nigeria’s complex realities, warning that acting on such distortions could have severe consequences for regional stability.

“The current confrontation between the United States and Nigeria, ignited by the spectre of foreign military intervention, represents a perilous crossroads. This is a moment charged with the danger of catastrophic miscalculation, yet it also holds the potential for a more resilient and mutually advantageous alliance,” the statement reads.

“The ‘Christian genocide’ narrative is a dangerously reductive distortion of Nigeria’s intricate realities. For the United States, acting on this fallacy would be a profound strategic blunder; for Nigeria, it constitutes an existential menace. To retreat from this brink, both nations must transcend immediate political posturing and acknowledge their fundamental, aligned interests in lasting stability and shared economic advancement.