The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly and a scholar of Modern War Studies, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, has argued that no nation in the contemporary international system enjoys absolute sovereignty, insisting that prevailing global security realities compel states to embrace cooperation and collective action.
Ibrahim who is also an Ambassador designate made this assertion while defending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approach to tackling Nigeria’s insecurity through international collaboration, describing such engagement as consistent with global democratic practice rather than a surrender of national independence.
Drawing parallels with the United States’ response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Ibrahim recalled that America,despite its military and economic dominance, received extensive support from allies including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia and New Zealand.
According to him, the multinational effort, carried out under Operation Enduring Freedom, involved the deployment of military assets, troops, aircraft, intelligence sharing and naval capabilities to dismantle terrorist networks.
“This historical example clearly demonstrates that sovereignty in the modern world is not absolute,” Ibrahim said. “Even the most powerful nation required collective support to restore security after 9/11.”
He argued that President Tinubu’s strategy of cooperation and collaboration in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges aligns with the liberal democratic order, where nations work together to confront transnational threats such as terrorism, cybercrime and pandemics.
Ibrahim dismissed claims that international security partnerships undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty, stressing that cooperation strengthens, rather than weakens, a nation’s capacity to protect its citizens.
“Insecurity today is borderless.Terrorist networks, cyber intrusions and even pandemics do not respect national boundaries,” he noted.
“If absolute sovereignty were possible, countries would be able to block threats like global cyber communications or prevent diseases such as COVID-19 from entering their borders. Reality has shown otherwise.”
He urged critics to allow the Tinubu administration the necessary diplomatic and strategic space to confront insecurity, maintaining that collective security remains the most effective path to peace in an increasingly interconnected world.
“Sovereignty in this era is preserved through strategic alliances and shared responsibility,” Ibrahim added. “Isolation is no longer a viable option.”
