David Hundeyin recently posed a question that exposes an uncomfortable truth about U.S. conduct in Nigeria. Imagine the Chinese ambassador in Washington, D.C., meeting openly with extremist groups like the Proud Boys or the Ku Klux Klan. The U.S. government would see it as an act of provocation, even war. Yet, the U.S. embassy in Nigeria routinely holds meetings with questionable groups and claims it is “normal diplomacy.”
The double standard could not be clearer.
Subversion Has a Long History
From the 1960s through today, the United States has consistently prioritized its own strategic interests in Nigeria, often at the cost of Nigeria’s sovereignty and stability. During the Biafran War, U.S. foreign policy, heavily influenced by oil corporations, chose profits over people. In the Abacha era, dissident groups were funded, not purely to promote democracy, but to prepare for a leadership change favorable to U.S. interests.
After 9/11, Nigeria was dragged into the global “War on Terror,” with Washington exaggerating Boko Haram’s threat profile to justify deeper American security operations inside Nigeria.
The Role of AFRICOM
Created in 2007, AFRICOM (United States Africa Command) was rejected by almost every African country, seen for what it was: a Trojan Horse for American military power projection. Though headquartered in Germany, AFRICOM exerts outsized influence across West Africa, especially Nigeria.
Through intelligence sharing, “advisory” programs, and security partnerships, AFRICOM has embedded itself within Nigeria’s security system, subtly steering Nigerian priorities to mirror U.S. geopolitical goals.
American Fear: Nigeria’s Drift Toward France
In recent years, U.S. anxiety has deepened. Nigeria’s quiet engagement with France, particularly in defense, energy, and economic affairs, has unsettled Washington. After France’s catastrophic losses in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, Paris now sees Nigeria as a potential cornerstone for its revived West African ambitions.
The U.S. fears losing Nigeria, the region’s biggest economy, to France (or worse, to a multipolar alignment with Russia and China).
Desperation and Dangerous Games
The recent U.S. embassy engagements with divisive ethnic groups, some involved in violent farmer-herder conflicts, should be understood within this context. The objective is clear:
Sow divisions.
Create dependency.
Present themselves as the indispensable “arbiter.”
This is not new. It is an old, cynical playbook: create chaos, then offer to “solve” it, on your terms.
The Way Forward
Nigeria must understand that respect in international relations must be reciprocal. Sovereignty is not negotiable.
It is time Nigerians demand a reset in foreign engagements: no more hidden agendas, no more puppet strings.
Every handshake must be inspected carefully. As Achebe wisely warned, when a handshake extends past the elbow, it is no longer a greeting, it is a power grab.
Nigeria must wake up. Africa must wake up.
By Hon. Chimazuru Nnadi-Oforgu
Duruebube Uzii na Abosi
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