Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has defended foreign military intervention in Nigeria, citing the urgent need to confront escalating security threats across the country.
Keyamo made the remarks in a post on X on Saturday, reacting to public debates surrounding recent United States strike actions reportedly carried out against terrorist targets in Nigeria.
Using a metaphor to justify external assistance, the minister argued that national survival must take precedence over concerns about sovereignty or privacy during moments of grave danger.
“When your house is on fire, it would be stupid to prevent anyone who has fire extinguishers to come into your house and put out the fire. It defies logic to begin to consider the privacy of your home at that moment when the raging fire is about to consume your family,” Keyamo wrote.
His comments come against the backdrop of confirmed US military strike actions in parts of Nigeria, reportedly targeting Islamic State linked terror groups operating in remote areas of the country.
Nigerian officials have acknowledged intelligence cooperation between both countries, while stressing that the operations were aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities and preventing further attacks on civilians.
The strikes have sparked mixed reactions across Nigeria, with some critics questioning issues of sovereignty and transparency, while others argue that international cooperation remains essential given the scale and persistence of insecurity.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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