Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), has raised concerns that President Donald Trump of the United States may be seeking an opportunity to establish a military base in Nigeria.

He cautioned that such a move could serve America’s strategic interests rather than Nigeria’s security priorities.

Dambazau raised this alarm at the 7th Annual Public Lecture of the Just Friends Club of Nigeria (JFCN) in Abuja, where he spoke extensively on Nigeria’s security architecture, governance failures, and the need for comprehensive reforms in the sector.

The former army chief stated that the recent statements credited to Trump, declaring Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” and hinting at possible US military operations to “defend Nigerian Christians,” should be approached with caution.

“Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern and has given the U.S. Department of War directives to prepare for possible operations to defend Nigerian Christians.

“I think the U.S. is looking for an opportunity to establish an alternative base in Nigeria, a country known to protect only its interests by any means possible, including the use of force,” he warned.

Dambazau questioned the motives behind such plans, noting that despite the US maintaining military bases in Niger for over a decade, it had done little to prevent the spread of terrorism across the Sahel region.

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