Nigeria should focus on developing local capacity to take care of its security problems, Istifanus Zabadi, Professor of International Relations at the Bingham University (Nigeria), told Sputnik Africa.
"Some appreciable progress has been made in that direction," he noted adding that "Nigeria will go to whatever lengths to ensure that it defeats insecurity, whether it's terrorism or banditry, whatever it is, so that this country can concentrate on the challenges of developments, both human and material. I think that's what we're seeing now, on the ground."
Zabadi noted that foreign powers has been "using" Africa since 1960s and "not only on the military front." "The challenge is for African leaders [...] to know that on this and other matters, we are on our own," he stressed.
"Anybody who is depending on the goodwill of the United States or any such powers will be disappointed," the expert underlined.
After the US stopped selling some military equipment to Nigeria due to alleged human rights violations, the top diplomat of the West African country highlighted that "this is something that has to be reevaluated."
Over the past few years, Nigeria has faced challenges with security issues caused by the actions of Boko Haram* and other terrorist organizations. These groups have been responsible for various criminal activities such as kidnappings for ransom and looting.
* A terrorist organization banned in Russia and many other states.