Russia says it is closely monitoring developments related to reports of potential US military action in Nigeria.
Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, who spoke during a press briefing on Friday in Moscow, asked “all parties involved to strictly comply with international legal norms”.
US defence officials, on Wednesday, had noted that the military has drawn up air and ground strike plans on Nigeria as part of President Donald Trump’s orders to prepare to intervene and “protect Christians from attack by Islamic militants”.
Trump recently redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” in response to allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
He warned that the US would enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to protect the Christian population if the government “continued to ignore the attacks”.
However, President Bola Tinubu, alongside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has also dismissed allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
The presidency said it would welcome help to combat terrorism but denounced moves that would impinge on its sovereignty.
“We are closely monitoring this issue and call on all parties involved to strictly comply with international legal norms,” Zakharova said.
On Monday, Daniel Bwala, special adviser to Tinubu on policy communication, granted an interview to Russian national TV, emphasising that “we do not need American boots on Nigerian soil”.
Bwala noted that Nigeria faces security challenges but added that the government has made “massive progress” in tackling them.
