The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that the United States Africa Command airstrike in Sokoto state highlights what it described as the incompetence of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement on Thursday by its spokesman, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said while it supports lawful efforts to protect Nigerians, the strike underscored a failure of governance that allowed a foreign military to carry out direct operations on Nigerian soil.
The ADC warned that permitting external forces to conduct military actions in the country is unsustainable and could undermine Nigeria’s long-term strategic and sovereign interests.
The party questioned Nigeria’s role in the operation, saying the Federal Government appeared to have been reduced to “mere informants” in an exercise it should have led.
It demanded clarification on the terms of engagement, operational control, and the number and identity of terrorists allegedly killed during the strike.
The ADC cautioned against what it called confusing “collaboration” with “myopic surrender”, adding that the handling of information surrounding the operation was troubling.
The party said it was concerning that Nigerians first learned of the airstrike through a social media post by the American president, rather than a direct communication from Nigeria’s leadership.
It added that statements by the Federal Government suggested Nigeria only provided intelligence while the United States conducted the operation.
The ADC asked why Nigeria, despite spending trillions of naira on security, was unable to lead the mission if it possessed actionable intelligence.
The party also expressed concern over what it described as the framing of Nigeria’s security challenges in religious terms by the United States, warning that such narratives could threaten national unity.
“There is a difference between strategic collaboration and myopic surrender that is ultimately counter-productive to national security and inimical to the long-term sovereign interests of Nigeria,” the party said.
