Shehu Sani: US Can’t Fight Nigeria’s Battles Forever Despite ISIS Strikes in North-West

Shehu Sani: US Can’t Fight Nigeria’s Battles Forever Despite ISIS Strikes in North-West

Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has said that while foreign military support, including recent US-led strikes against ISIS targets in North-West Nigeria, may be helpful, Nigeria must ultimately take responsibility for its own security, stressing that the United States cannot “eternally fight our battles.”

Sani made the remarks while reacting to reports of military strikes on ISIS terrorist positions in the North-West, which the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) described as a joint operation carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

In a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, the former lawmaker said that if the strikes were indeed conducted jointly with Nigeria’s security agencies, then the action was justifiable and necessary, given the growing threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

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According to Sani, terrorists operating in northern Nigeria have become deeply entrenched and must be decisively confronted, describing them as “cancerous cells” that thrive on violence.

However, he cautioned against over-reliance on foreign powers to resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, insisting that lasting peace and stability must be driven by domestic capacity and political will.

Sani also dismissed narratives portraying terrorist violence in Nigeria as targeting only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He stressed that while the United States and other international partners may offer supportive or complementary military assistance, Nigeria must not abdicate its primary responsibility for national defence and internal security.

Shehu Sani: US Can’t Fight Nigeria’s Battles Forever Despite ISIS Strikes in North-West