Sans Describe Trump’s Threat of Military Intervention as Unlawful

Senior Advocates of Nigeria have condemned the threat by United States President Donald Trump to deploy American troops to Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians, describing such a move as a violation of Nigeria’s sovereignty and international law.

Trump had on Friday designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged Christian genocide, warning that the U.S. might send troops to eliminate Islamic extremists responsible for the attacks.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump said on Saturday, November 1.

Reacting to the development, constitutional lawyer Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) stated that any foreign military intervention without Nigeria’s consent would be an act of aggression. “They can only intervene with our government’s approval. Otherwise, it will constitute a serious breach of international law,” he said.

Another senior advocate, Adedayo Adedeji (SAN), affirmed that under international law, every nation retains full independence and territorial integrity. “Each state has the right to exercise full authority within its borders, free from foreign interference,” he explained.

He added that while cooperation in fighting terrorism was acceptable, any unilateral military action by the U.S. would be unlawful. “The United States cannot simply invade Nigeria to address alleged cases of Christian genocide. Counterterrorism should be pursued through legitimate collaboration, not force,” Adedeji said.

Adedeji also dismissed reports of a “Christian genocide,” noting, “Contrary to the circulating claims, I don’t believe there’s any Christian genocide in Nigeria.”

Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) described the killings as worrisome and called on the Federal Government to act swiftly to prevent external interference. “If the government fails to address it, stronger nations may take advantage of the situation. However, any foreign involvement must be by invitation; otherwise, it would be considered an invasion,” he warned.

In his remarks, Lagos-based lawyer Jiti Ogunye described Trump’s statement as hypocritical and inconsistent with his “America First” policy. “Here’s a president who wants to isolate America from global affairs, yet suddenly takes interest in Nigeria. What exactly is his motive?” Ogunye asked.

He suggested that the move could be driven by economic and strategic interests rather than humanitarian reasons. “It wouldn’t be surprising if such an intervention ended up targeting Nigeria’s oil, lithium, and gold as payment for ‘protection,’” he noted.

Ogunye urged the Tinubu administration to prioritize internal security reforms, particularly in conflict-prone areas like Benue and Plateau States. “The government must tackle these crises head-on. The era of open grazing and territorial encroachment should be over,” he said, emphasizing that respect for state boundaries and the adoption of ranching would help resolve persistent conflicts.