Russia ‘closely monitoring’ US plans for possible military action in Nigeria

Russia says it is “closely monitoring developments” related to reports of potential US military action in Nigeria.

Maria Zakhorova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, spoke during a press briefing in Moscow on Friday, asking “all parties involved to strictly comply with international legal norms”.

The statement comes after US defence officials on Wednesday noted that the military has “drawn up air and ground strike plans on Nigeria”.

This is 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” over allegations of a “Christian genocide”.

He warned that the US would enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” if the government “continued to ignore the attacks”.

President Bola Tinubu and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have dismissed the allegations.

The Nigerian presidency said it would “welcome help to combat terrorism” but “denounced moves that would impinge on its sovereignty”.

On Monday, Daniel Bwala, special adviser to Tinubu on policy communication, told Russian national TV that “we do not need American boots on Nigerian soil”.

Bwala acknowledged that Nigeria faces security challenges but added that the government has made “massive progress” in tackling them.