The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of incompetence following recent airstrikes carried out by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) on suspected terrorist targets in Sokoto State.
The opposition party said the operation highlights the federal government’s failure to effectively tackle Nigeria’s persistent security challenges. In a statement released on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC noted that while it recognises the seriousness of the country’s security situation and supports all lawful and effective efforts to save lives, the direct involvement of foreign military forces on Nigerian soil raises grave concerns about national sovereignty.
According to the party, the protection of lives and the defeat of terrorism must remain a top national priority, but Nigeria should not allow desperation to erode its sovereignty under any guise. The ADC reiterated its long-standing opposition to foreign troops conducting physical operations within the country.
The party described the US airstrikes, carried out on Thursday, as a stopgap response that should not replace Nigeria-led efforts against internal security threats. It argued that the incident exposes what it termed the “historic incompetence” of the Tinubu administration in managing national security.
Abdullahi criticised what he described as a governance approach focused largely on revenue generation, with critical issues such as security and diplomacy treated as secondary concerns.
The ADC also faulted the manner in which Nigerians learned about the operation, noting that initial reports came from a social media post by US President Donald Trump, while official confirmation from Nigeria was limited to a brief statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The party observed that while the president often addresses the nation directly on political matters, Nigerians were left to hear about a sensitive foreign military action on Nigerian soil from abroad. It said this demonstrated a troubling lack of appreciation for the gravity of the incident by the presidency.
Although the government claimed Nigeria provided intelligence support and helped manage public communication around the strike, the ADC argued that the country merely played an auxiliary role in an operation it should have led. It also questioned why, if the partnership with the United States is truly collaborative, Nigeria’s security challenges continue to be framed in sectional or religious terms by foreign actors.
The ADC demanded that the federal government provide full disclosure on the terms of engagement with the United States, including the extent of Nigeria’s operational control and the actual number of terrorists killed.
The party further asked why Nigeria, despite spending trillions of naira on security over the years, could not lead the operation if it already had the necessary intelligence. It also questioned what capabilities Nigeria allegedly lacked and how many similar foreign-led strikes Nigerians should expect in the future.
Warning against what it called a short-sighted surrender of national responsibility, the ADC stressed that there is a clear distinction between strategic cooperation and actions that undermine sovereignty and national dignity.
The party accused President Tinubu of effectively outsourcing his most critical constitutional duty and said Nigerians have a right to question who is truly in control when the president appears to defer to a foreign leader on such crucial matters.
While reaffirming its support for the fight against terrorism, the ADC expressed serious concern about the long-term implications of the incident for Nigeria’s sovereignty and strategic independence. It concluded by urging the government to clearly articulate its security strategy going forward, starting with transparent answers to the questions raised by the airstrikes.
