Yesterday’s Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., marked a very important moment in the international conversation about insecurity in Nigeria. For the first time in a long while, we witnessed a constructive and informed discussion in the U.S. Congress. Members from both major parties spoke passionately about the situation in Nigeria. They acknowledged the seriousness of terrorism and the human suffering it has caused in different parts of our country. They also recognised the complexity of the conflict and the potential consequences of any foreign action.
What stood out to me was the explicit rejection of direct military intervention in Nigeria. Instead, they promoted a more rational and responsible partnership between the Nigerian and U.S. governments. They recommended a joint approach to assess Nigeria’s current capacity to deal with terrorism. They encouraged the U.S. to provide intelligence support and work closely with Nigerian security forces in identifying, isolating, arresting, or eliminating the BOKO HARAM terrorists who have caused havoc in different regions of our country, especially in the North East.
The expected intelligence support will also extend to cover the criminal activities of bandits and terrorists in the Northwest, North Central, Southeast and Southwest regions. Nigerians have suffered regardless of religion or tribe, and every Nigerian deserves safety and dignity. This new direction is a very welcome development. It is far better than the past reckless and impulsive calls for aggressive military action in Nigeria that would have damaged our sovereignty and put civilian lives at significant risk. Today, we saw a wiser approach that respects Nigeria and focuses on what actually works. This is a significant win for diplomacy and for those who believe in innovative collaboration rather than destructive intervention.
To those at home who celebrated the possibility of a foreign attack on our own country, I ask you to reflect. You may feel angry or frustrated, but it is essential to step back and think carefully. Foreign bombing will not fix Nigeria. It will destroy lives and deepen our suffering. This moment offers a better path. A chance for collaboration and intelligence support to help us bring peace and stability to every corner of our country.
By Dr Adam Abaji! Clinical Professor,
University of Alberta, Canada