Spokesman for the president, Garba Shehu, said on Thursday, December 17, that the nation has not come to a conclusion on whether to join the Saudi-led alliance to fight the militant group Islamic State.
In the first official statement from Abuja on the issue, Shehu told Reuters:
“Nigeria has been formally invited to be a member of the alliance and President Buhari is looking into it. A decision to join has not been taken yet. Nigeria is not in or out,” the spokesman noted.
Saudi Arabia had on Tuesday, December 15, announced a 34-nation Islamic military coalition.
The move was welcomed by the United States, which has been urging greater regional efforts to push back Islamic State.
A list for the coalition as published by the Saudi state news agency included Nigeria and other West African states.
Nigeria is battling homegrown militants called Boko Haram, the group which predominantly operates within the northeast of the country, is alleged to have links with ISIS and has pledge their allegiance to the jihadist in control of large parts of Iraq and Syria.
There has been confusion over the anti-Islamist initiative, as some of the countries named as members of the coalition are caught unawares by the announcement.
A decision whether be a part of the alliance or not, is crucial for Nigeria; especially at this time when security experts have warned that an attack by ISIS is imminent in the country.
While the Nigerian government is still brainstorming over joining the Saudi-led alliance, members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have raised alarm over the attempt by the All Progressives Congress-led government to subtly enlist Nigeria among Arab nations to fight ISIS and other terrorist organisations.
According to CAN, an attempt to join the Saudi-coalition, will be a betrayal by President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government.
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