Nigeria’s already fragile debate over sovereignty and security has taken a sharper turn following claims by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore that the recent United States airstrikes on Nigerian soil were carried out without the genuine knowledge or consent of the Nigerian government by extension Tinubu.
The controversy erupted after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had conducted what he described as “precise and deadly strikes” against ISIS-linked militants operating in parts of northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day. Trump framed the operation as a decisive response to what he called the mass killing of Christians, adding that he had previously warned the militants to stop or face consequences.
In the immediate aftermath, Nigeria’s federal authorities, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that strikes had taken place and suggested they were part of a coordinated effort with “international partners.” No detailed explanation was offered on Nigeria’s role, the scope of the operation, or the level of prior consultation.
Sowore, however, has openly rejected the government’s narrative. In a strongly worded statement posted on his Facebook page, he argued that the strikes were executed without “genuine authority or informed consent” from Abuja, accusing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of attempting to retroactively legitimise an operation it neither initiated nor controlled.
According to Sowore, the nature of the strike, reportedly hitting a village in Sokoto State, raises troubling questions about who truly exercises control over Nigeria’s territory. He described the federal government as “weaklings masquerading as government,” alleging that it lacked both the courage and capacity to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty or adequately protect its citizens.
“It is deeply troubling,” Sowore wrote, “that Africa’s most populous nation has been reduced to a bystander while its sovereignty is violated under the direction of a foreign president.” He went further to suggest that the The leadership of America behind this act does not know and does not care to know Nigeria and Nigerians but is pursuing its own interests.
These claims have heightened apprehension among the people, considering that foreign forces’ intervention is an emotive issue for any country with historical experiences associated with foreign forces’ intervention, such as Nigeria. It is associated with its early experiences with foreign forces brought about by its colonization background. According to critics, “if the Nigerian government or the President Tinubu was so well briefed and advised on this issue,” then it should “owe its people an explanation on how this issue was authorized and what were the protocols to safeguard civilians.”
Supporters of the government’s position counter that Nigeria has, in the past, cooperated quietly with foreign partners on counter-terrorism operations, and that discretion is sometimes necessary in security matters. Nonetheless, the lack of detail has done little to allay suspicion, particularly with regards to Sowere’s statement that Abuja is trying to cover its tracks afterwards.
“Behind this particular incident,” however, “remains the broad question of whether a Nigerian government still maintains control over its own security policies or has fallen under the reliance of foreign powers in order to address its internal problems.”
Sowore maintains that “the incident highlights a corrupting erosion of sovereignty, a vacuum of leadership which leaves the Nigerian nation susceptible to the will of foreign governments acting unilaterally.”
Read Also: US carries out Deadly strikes on Nigeria targeting Islamic State militants, Trump Says
Even as the debate rages, the airstrikes have increasingly become more than a counter-terrorism tale. Instead, they have become a metaphor of Nigeria’s struggle with leadership, accountability, and what it means to be a nation seeking global help versus one preserving integrity and sovereignty. It is difficult to say how well the government might be able to counter allegations of being marginalized, but already, the quietness and vagueness on the airstrikes have said plenty to Nigerians.
