Professor Femi Olufunmilade, a renowned scholar of International Relations and Strategic Studies and Director of the Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs at Igbinedion University, Okada, has cautioned Nigerians against raising their hopes over U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threat to launch military action in Nigeria.
In a statement on Monday, Prof. Olufunmilade described Trump’s threat as “mere war propaganda,” insisting that the United States lacks the capacity to effectively combat the dispersed guerrilla forces operating across Nigeria.
According to him, “the U.S. cannot stop the mobile guerrilla forces causing killings across Nigeria, whether you call them Fulani herdsmen, bandits, ISWAP, Ansaru, or Lakurawa, adding they are scattered across thousands of miles and hundreds of locations.”
He argued that despite its limitations in manpower and equipment, the Nigerian military remains the most capable force in the world for handling asymmetric warfare.
“The Nigerian military’s record in combating insurgents in places like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Mali, and Somalia remains second to none globally,” he stated.
“What the military needs are adequate resources, funds to recruit more personnel, procure sophisticated hardware, and improve intelligence-gatherin,.” he added.
The security expert warned that any attempt by the U.S. to deploy troops to Nigerian states experiencing violent conflicts would be both unwise and ineffective.
“If America deploys a battalion to Benue, what happens to Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Adamawa, and Southern Kaduna? Would they deploy a battalion to each of those places too? It’s impractical and would only waste American soldiers?” he queried.
Mr Olufunmilade further explained that the nature of the insurgency in Nigeria makes conventional foreign intervention unsuitable, emphasizing the need to empower local forces instead.
“Even if the U.S. launches airstrikes, they will only hit a few targets while others remain untouched. The enemy is mobile and diffused. The best antidote is to strengthen local forces with more boots on the ground and better weaponry,” he noted.
While dismissing Trump’s threat as a bluff, Mr Olufunmilade acknowledged that the statement has at least reignited global discussions on the need to end the ongoing bloodshed across Nigeria.
“The good thing about Trump’s so-called threat, is that it has sparked serious conversations on how to bring an immediate end to the killings and carnage ravaging this most blessed country on earth called Nigeria,” he concluded.
