The ADC described the operation as a troubling reflection of the government’s failure to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of incompetence following the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) military airstrikes on alleged terrorist locations in Sokoto State.
The ADC described the operation as a troubling reflection of the government’s failure to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said while it recognises the gravity of Nigeria’s security situation and supports all lawful and effective measures aimed at saving lives, the involvement of foreign military forces in operations on Nigerian soil raises serious concerns about national sovereignty.
“The protection of Nigerian lives and the defeat of terrorism must remain a central national priority,” the ADC said, adding, however, that it has consistently opposed the physical operation of foreign military forces within the country.
“We must not allow our desperation today to compromise the sovereignty of our country in whatever form or guise.”
The party said it viewed the US military airstrikes carried out on Thursday, only as a desperate measure that should not replace Nigeria-led action against domestic security threats.
According to the ADC, the incident underscores what it described as the “historic incompetence” of the Tinubu administration in handling national security.
“This is what happens when a government behaves as though governance is all about revenue collection and all other issues, including national security and diplomacy, could be treated as an afterthought,” Abdullahi stated.
The ADC also criticised the manner in which Nigerians were informed about the airstrikes, noting that initial information came from a social media post by the American President Donald Trump, while official confirmation from Nigeria was limited to a statement by a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“When it comes to politics and propaganda, the President addresses the nation directly,” the party said.
“Yet, on an issue as sensitive and consequential as a foreign military strike on Nigerian soil, Nigerians were left to hear first from abroad.
“This reflects a frightening lack of awareness of the historic significance of this incident by the President of Nigeria.”
While acknowledging government claims that Nigeria provided intelligence support and helped manage narratives around the operation, the ADC argued that the country merely acted as an informant in an operation it ought to have led.
It also questioned why the United States continues to frame Nigeria’s security challenges in sectional or religious terms if the relationship is truly collaborative.
The party demanded a detailed explanation from the federal government on the terms of engagement with the United States, including the level of operational control exercised by Nigerian security forces and the actual number of terrorists killed in the strike.
“How many terrorists were actually neutralised? If Nigeria possessed the intelligence that guided this operation, why was it unable to lead the mission, despite the trillions of naira spent over the years on security?” the ADC asked.
It also queried what special skills or technology Nigeria allegedly lacked and how many similar strikes Nigerians should expect in the future.
Warning against what it described as a “myopic surrender” of national responsibility, the ADC said there is a clear difference between strategic collaboration and actions that undermine long-term sovereignty and self-respect.
“What we see is that President Tinubu has outsourced his most important constitutional responsibility,” the party said, adding that Nigerians are entitled to ask who is truly in charge when the president appears compelled to defer to a foreign leader on such critical matters.
The opposition party reaffirmed its support for the fight against terrorism but expressed deep concerns about the long-term implications of the incident for Nigeria’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
It stressed that a single airstrike could not end the conflict and urged the government to clearly outline its security direction going forward, beginning with answers to the questions raised by the attack.