Shehu Sani noted: “We cannot continue to fold our arms while terrorists continue to slaughter and kidnap our people.“
By Kehinde Okeowo
Human rights activist and former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has replied to Nigerians questioning the presence of United States troops in the country.
He justified the decision to allow the US military on Nigerian soil in a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Tuesday.
His post follows reports that approximately 100 US military personnel are currently in Nigeria to assist in the ongoing war against terrorism.
The development has, however, divided opinion; some Nigerians, particularly from the North, argued that the government’s decision to allow the move violated the country’s sovereignty.
Reacting to these concerns, Sani urged calm, stating that the country’s sovereignty has already been violated by the presence of foreign terrorists.
He added that the government cannot continue to fold its arms while terrorists continue to slaughter and kidnap citizens.
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Writing via his verified handle, he stated: “I have read the strong statement issued by my friends opposed to ‘foreign military presence’ in our country. I share their views on the need for us to protect our ‘sovereignty’.
“I understand their distrust and fears about the US troops on our soil. Unfortunately, our ‘sovereignty’ has already been violated by ‘foreign terrorists’ presence’.
“There is no military anywhere in the world that doesn’t cooperate with the militaries of other nations to achieve its objectives. Even superpowers have to work with others to achieve their goals.
“We can’t continue to fold our arms while terrorists continue to slaughter and kidnap our people, and then close our doors against support from other countries.
“The fight is our fight, but support is very much needed as long as it is a partnership.”
