A former Senior Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has cautioned the United States government against issuing provocative statements or threats toward Nigeria, warning that such rhetoric could ignite serious diplomatic and security consequences.
He issued the warning during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Friday.
Reacting to recent comments credited to U.S. President Donald Trump, Baba-Ahmed said he was shocked that such remarks could be made without adequate verification or diplomatic consultation.
The former presidential adviser added that he expected Trump’s inner circle to exercise caution and verify intelligence before allowing such threats to be made public.
Baba-Ahmed warned that any escalation of tension between Nigeria and the United States could exacerbate Nigeria’s fragile internal situation and potentially trigger destabilising ripple effects globally.
According to him, raising diplomatic temperatures at this time poses significant risks for both nations and the wider international community.
He urged Washington to prioritise cooperation rather than confrontation, stressing the long-standing strategic partnership between the two countries.
Baba-Ahmed said the U.S. should seek ways to deepen ties with Nigeria instead of making statements that could damage a relationship that has served both sides for decades.
He said, “I’m shocked that even a president as unpredictable as unconventional as Trump would contemplate those utterances he made, the threat he has made against a country like Nigeria.
“You would have thought that people would have said to him, be careful. This is not the kind of position we need to adopt against a country like we need to check the intelligence we have.
“We need to be careful the kind of utterances and threats we issue, and perhaps we need some kind of engagement first before we come really hard on the leadership, which is very weak in a country which is already on its knees. If America succeeds in creating the worst situation in Nigeria, everybody will pay the price.
“This is a very delicate situation, and the worst thing we want is the falling out with America. We’ve been friends, we’re allies. We’ve come a long way with each other. We’ve never had a quarrel between us. This is the time when the US should stand by Nigeria, ask us what we can do so that it can help.”
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