With Nigeria less than two years away from national elections, a U.S.-based pro-democracy group has issued an unusually blunt proposal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: declare a ‘state of emergency’ across northern Nigeria, and formally invite the United States to deploy special operations forces to help restore security.
In an open proposal addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Democratic Coalition, (NADECO) USA called for a six-month state of emergency across northern Nigeria and urged the government to formally invite the United States to provide limited military assistance, including the deployment of Special Operations forces.
The proposal reflects growing concern among Diaspora activists and security analysts that persistent violence in the North has moved beyond a conventional security challenge, and now poses a direct threat to Nigeria’s democratic future.
“Free, fair, and credible elections cannot occur if terrorists occupy parts of the country,” the group said in its statement, asking how displaced or terrorized citizens could realistically participate in voting. “This issue must be resolved before the 2027 elections”, it stated.
NADECO USA, led by Lloyd Ukwu, a Washington-based lawyer and longtime democracy advocate, argued that the scale and persistence of the violence now warrant extraordinary measures.
The group proposed that President Tinubu invoke Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution, which allows a state of emergency when the security of the federation is threatened.
Under the plan, emergency rule would last six months and cover either the most affected northern states or all 19 states in the region. The declaration would require approval by the National Assembly within 48 hours and include legislative oversight, periodic reviews, and an automatic expiration unless renewed.
The most controversial element of the proposal is its call for U.S. involvement. NADECO USA suggests that Nigeria formally request a limited deployment of American Special Operations forces to assist Nigerian troops with intelligence sharing, training, and targeted operations against insurgent strongholds.
The group stressed that Nigerian authorities would retain overall command and that the mission would be temporary, governed by a formal memorandum of understanding and a Status of Forces Agreement defining legal jurisdiction and human-rights obligations. “This is not imperialism. It is liberation”, said the statement.
