The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the Federal Government for allowing the United States to announce details of anti-terror strikes carried out on Nigerian soil before Nigerian authorities addressed the nation.
PDP described the development as a troubling lapse in security communication and national leadership.
In a statement issued on Friday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the Federal Government’s delayed response compelled Nigerians to rely on foreign sources for information on critical security operations within the country.
LEADERSHIP reported that the news of the United States military airstrikes against suspected terrorist targets in Sokoto State was first disclosed to Americans and the international community through verified social media posts by US President Donald Trump and other American officials late Thursday night, several hours before Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement acknowledging the collaborative operation.
According to the opposition party, the Federal Government should have taken the lead in informing Nigerians, rather than merely confirming reports that were already widely circulated.
Part of the statement read: “Nigerians were informed of the American strike on terrorists’ assets through the verified social media pages of President Trump and other American officials long before the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a vague statement many hours later, offering only a passive confirmation of the Nigerian Government’s knowledge and cooperation.
“While international collaboration in the fight against serious crimes such as terrorism is commendable, the Peoples Democratic Party is deeply worried about a communication framework in which foreign governments announce security operations in Nigeria before our own authorities do.”
The PDP added that such an approach was particularly concerning given reports that the US military had previously conducted operations in Nigeria without the prior consent or knowledge of the Federal Government.
The party further urged the Federal Government to ensure that its defence partnership with the United States prioritises joint operations that build local capacity, rather than depending on wholly foreign-led precision strikes.
It stated: “The Federal Government should have been the first to disclose this development in order to properly inform and reassure Nigerians, instead of waiting to confirm information already in the public domain, unless it was equally taken by surprise.
“We call on the Federal Government to ensure that any defence agreement with the United States emphasises joint operations that encourage knowledge sharing and experiential learning, enabling Nigeria to sustainably address its security challenges, rather than relying on entirely externally driven ‘precision attacks’.”
