Bwala Defends Tinubu Government, Dismisses Corruption Allegations During Al Jazeera Interview

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has defended the Nigerian government against allegations of widespread corruption, describing such claims as opinions rather than proven facts during a tense interview on the Al Jazeera programme hosted by Mehdi Hasan.

Bwala made the remarks while appearing on Head to Head on Al Jazeera, where he faced questions about corruption allegations against the administration, the state of insecurity in Nigeria, and criticism over his transition from a vocal government critic to a spokesperson for the presidency.

During the exchange, Hasan confronted Bwala with statements attributed to him from his time in the opposition, when he had reportedly criticised the government and raised concerns about corruption in Nigerian politics. Responding to the claim, Bwala rejected the suggestion that his previous comments amounted to a direct accusation against the current administration.

“That’s the opinion,” Bwala said during the interview. He also argued that the remarks being referenced did not accurately capture the full context of his earlier statements. “What you just said is not exactly the true representation,” he added.

The interview also addressed security issues and a controversial joint military operation involving Nigerian and American forces. Bwala defended the operation, which reportedly involved strikes on targets within Nigeria on Christmas Day, rejecting suggestions that the United States acted independently in carrying out attacks on Nigerian territory.

“The United States government did not bomb our country,” Bwala said during the interview. “The decision by the U.S. government was anchored on the intelligence sharing between Nigeria and the United States and the agreement on the operation.”

According to him, the operation was carried out following diplomatic communication between officials of both countries. Bwala explained that the process involved high-level discussions between the two governments before the operation took place.

He stated that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister regarding the intelligence and the proposed strike, after which the information was relayed to President Tinubu before the operation was executed.

Bwala also addressed longstanding claims that Christians are being deliberately targeted in Nigeria, an allegation that has previously been raised by former United States President Donald Trump and some advocacy groups.

Rejecting the narrative, Bwala described the claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria as inaccurate.

“We believe that it is a targeted killing by insurgents, Boko Haram, bandits and criminal elements against the people of Nigeria — Christians, Muslims and those who have not identified with any religion,” he said.

He further characterised the claim that Christians are specifically being exterminated as a “hoax,” insisting that violence in the country is primarily driven by terrorism, banditry and criminal activity affecting people of all religious backgrounds.

During the interview, Hasan also pressed Bwala on reports of civilian casualties linked to military operations, referencing testimonies cited in a report by The Washington Post which suggested that residents in affected areas had reported civilian deaths.

Responding to those concerns, Bwala maintained that the operation discussed during the interview was aimed strictly at terrorist targets.

“I am saying that the military operation that was conducted on that day was targeted at terrorists and we hit them,” he said.

The discussion also turned to the broader security situation in Nigeria, with Hasan citing data indicating that approximately 11,000 people were killed in conflict across the country in 2025, compared with about 8,700 recorded in 2023. The figures, he noted, represented a 26 percent increase in deaths since Tinubu assumed office.

Bwala rejected the interpretation that the statistics necessarily reflected a deterioration in security conditions under the current administration. He insisted that the government remained committed to confronting terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent crime across the country.

Throughout the exchange, Bwala defended the policies and actions of the administration, maintaining that efforts by the Nigerian government and security agencies continue to focus on dismantling terrorist groups and restoring stability in affected regions.

The interview, which featured intense questioning and exchanges between both participants, has since drawn attention on social media, particularly over Bwala’s defence of the government and his remarks regarding corruption allegations, military operations, and the broader security challenges facing Nigeria.