..Says such strikes undermine Nigeria’s strategic interests
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the December 25, 2025, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes in Sokoto State as a highlight of what it called President Tinubu’s historic incompetence.
The ADC, in a statement, by Bolaji Abdullahi , the national publicity secretary, said while it welcomes all lawful efforts to protect the lives of Nigerians, it blames what it described as the failure of governance under President Bola Tinubu for the unprecedented military attack carried out by a foreign army on Nigerian soil.
The party warned that permitting external forces to carry out direct military operations in the country is not sustainable and potentially undermines Nigeria’s strategic interests in the long run.
The party noted that there was a difference between what it called ” strategic collaboration” and ” myopic surrender”, questioning Nigeria’s actual role in the “collaboration”.
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The party insisted that Nigeria should not be “mere informants” in an operation that it should be leading.
The party therefore demanded clarifications on operational control, casualties, and specific information about the number and identity of actual terrorists that were killed in the operation.
The party cautioned against confusing “collaboration” with what it called “myopic surrender,” and expressed concern over the government’s handling of the information surrounding the operation and the persistent framing of the war against terror in religious terms by the U.S., which it said ultimately endangers Nigeria’s national unity.
The ADC reiterated its long-standing opposition to the physical operation of foreign military forces on Nigerian soil. We must not allow our desperation today to compromise the sovereignty of our country in whatever form or guise.
“It is in this context that we accept the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes on “terrorist locations” in Sokoto State on Thursday, December 25, 2025, only as a desperate measure that must not be allowed to substitute for a Nigeria-led action against its domestic security challenges.”
The party also berated the manner in which Nigerians were informed of the development, describing it as ” troubling”
“When it comes to politics and propaganda, the President addresses the nation directly. Yet, when faced with an issue as sensitive, momentous, and consequential as a foreign military strike on Nigerian soil, the primary source of information was a social media post by the American President, while the only information coming from Nigeria was from a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“This reflects a frightening lack of awareness of the historic significance of this incident by the President of Nigeria”.
The party therefore demanded a” clear explanation of the role of Nigeria and the terms of engagement in this “collaboration.” What level of operational control did Nigerian security forces exercise? How many terrorists were actually neutralised?
“If Nigeria possessed the intelligence that it could pass on to the United States to guide this operation, why was the country unable to lead the mission, despite the trillions of naira spent over the years on security? What special skills or technology did this operation require that Nigeria does not possess? What are the immediate outcomes of the strike, and how many more such strikes should we expect?”
