Foreign Interests, Sahel Terrorists Fueling Nigeria’s Insecurity Crisis – Presidency

Foreign Interests, Sahel Terrorists Fueling Nigeria’s Insecurity Crisis – Presidency

The Nigerian government has confirmed that foreign nationals have been arrested in connection with the country’s escalating security crisis, as cross-border terrorism from the Sahel region intensifies.

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communications, disclosed this during a podcast interview, revealing that the military deliberately withheld the identities of the arrested foreigners to protect diplomatic engagements and enable possible prisoner exchanges. Bwala identified terrorism in the Sahel states as a primary driver of Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that militants routinely cross into Nigerian territory to attack communities before retreating across poorly secured borders. He also alleged that a reported rivalry between the Nigerian Army and Air Force under the previous administration had weakened counterterrorism operations, a coordination issue he claims has been resolved under President Tinubu.

The presidential spokesperson pointed to multiple indicators suggesting external involvement in Nigeria’s security crisis, beginning with the confirmed arrest of foreign nationals linked to insecurity. Bwala stated that Nigerian troops have made such arrests, though the military has withheld their nationalities for security reasons, noting that such individuals could be used for prisoner exchanges with their home countries. In a separate operation, troops arrested 24 foreign nationals from various West and Central African countries, including Cameroon, Togo, and Ivory Coast, during a raid in Lagos State. Beyond these arrests, Bwala cited demonstrations in northern Nigeria where protesters displayed Russian flags as evidence that the security challenge has international dimensions. He also referenced a US congressional hearing where Rep. Scott Perry alleged that the CIA had funded groups like Boko Haram and ISIS; while Bwala stressed he was neither confirming nor denying the claim, he argued that Nigeria must take such international allegations seriously. Additionally, the presidential aide raised questions about humanitarian organisations that rented houses for 10 to 15 years in Borno State when the Boko Haram insurgency began, suggesting foreknowledge of a prolonged crisis.

READ ALSO:

• Messi’s final World Cup ends in heartbreak as Spain sweep title, FIFA’s top individual awards
• Spain dethrone Argentina in extra time to lift 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy
• Just in: Senegal’s President Diomaye Faye Emerges New ECOWAS Chairman

The expansion of militant groups from the Sahel into Nigeria represents a significant and growing threat, with data confirming a dramatic escalation. A report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) shows that attacks by al-Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups in the Nigeria-Benin-Niger border zone surged by 262% between 2024 and 2025. The al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) have begun openly claiming operations inside Nigeria, marking a public declaration of presence in areas where activity had previously been suspected but less overt. Bwala confirmed that Islamic State fighters have been transiting through the Sahel to support the Lakurawa militant group in Sokoto State, providing equipment and training, and researchers have recently established links between some members of Lakurawa and the Sahelian branch of the Islamic State. The ACLED report attributed the escalating violence to “limited state presence and weak border control” after several Sahelian states withdrew from ECOWAS, leading to weakened regional cooperation and limited cross-border coordination.

Bwala also addressed internal weaknesses that have hampered the security response, particularly the alleged rivalry between the Nigerian Army and Air Force. He claimed that during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, disagreements between the Chief of Air Staff and the Army leadership sometimes resulted in troops being denied critical air support during operations, though he noted this coordination issue has been resolved under the current administration. While dismissing claims that military personnel deliberately shield terrorists, Bwala acknowledged that security agencies are not immune to infiltration, citing isolated cases of security personnel collaborating with criminals. The presidential aide further warned that Boko Haram and ISWAP have spread from the North-East to the North-West and are pushing toward the North-Central, with the government working to contain the situation before it reaches southern Nigeria.

In December 2025, the United States conducted precision strikes against Islamic State targets in Sokoto State with Nigerian government approval, targeting ISIS enclaves in an effort to halt the group’s movement toward coastal West Africa while preserving US strategic presence in the region. Bwala confirmed that the strike targeted areas historically known to host both armed bandits and the Lakurawa group, adding that US intelligence indicated a massive movement of ISIS members from the Sahel into the region.

Foreign Interests, Sahel Terrorists Fueling Nigeria’s Insecurity Crisis – Presidency