The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Sunday Dare, stated that Nigeria’s campaign against terrorism necessitates robust international collaboration, asserting the nation cannot tackle the menace in isolation.

His comments surface during heightened worry over the recent kidnapping of 25 female students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, and the persistent danger posed by terrorist factions across the country.

On Wednesday, Dare posted a tweet emphasizing the critical need for strategic partnerships, especially with the United States, in Nigeria’s efforts to counter-terrorism. He made it clear that:
“Nigeria does not pretend it can win this war alone, nor should it have to.”

Further underlining the significance of this alliance, he wrote: “The strategic partnership between Nigeria and the United States has been invaluable.”

He drew attention to the involvement of American special forces in providing training to Nigerian naval units during the worst period of the Boko Haram insurgency, noting this assistance extended to the time following the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls abduction.

The Special Adviser stated: “American special forces trained Nigerian naval units during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency, including the period following the Chibok schoolgirl abductions and presently the Maga girls abduction.”

He continued by detailing the ongoing efforts: “Today, training, intelligence cooperation, and joint exercises continue. However, they are not enough to match the scale of the threat,” Dare added.

Dare’s statements are set against a background of rising international scrutiny regarding how Nigeria manages terrorism. The former US President, Donald Trump, late in October, designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for alleged religious freedom violations. He cited what he called an “existential threat” to Christianity due to widespread attacks by extremist organizations, including Boko Haram.

Trump also issued a caution that the US Department of War should be ready for “fast, vicious” military action. He threatened the possibility of cutting off US aid or potentially intervening “guns-a-blazing” if Nigeria did not act decisively.

In response, Tinubu had previously dismissed the allegations as both misleading and simplistic. He maintained that the violence in the north-central area stems from complex conflicts involving herder-farmer disputes, banditry, and extremism that target both Muslim and Christian populations without distinction.

However, the President affirmed his acceptance of collaborative counter-terrorism initiatives, provided they respect the sovereignty of Nigeria.