The African Democratic Congress has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration following the United States military airstrikes conducted in Sokoto State, describing the development as evidence of governmental incompetence in handling Nigeria’s security challenges.
The opposition party, whilst acknowledging the severity of terrorism threats facing the nation, expressed deep concerns about foreign military operations on Nigerian territory and questioned the government’s communication strategy surrounding the incident.
According to a statement released by ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi on Friday, the party condemned what it characterised as an outsourcing of constitutional responsibilities. “President Bola Tinubu has outsourced his most important constitutional responsibility, effectively taking a back seat in a vehicle that he is constitutionally assigned to drive,” Abdullahi stated on X.
The controversy centres on airstrikes carried out by the United States Africa Command on December 25, 2025, targeting Islamic State militants in Sokoto State. US officials described the operation as coordinated action with Nigerian authorities based on shared intelligence, though details regarding casualties and the extent of Nigerian military involvement remain unclear.
The ADC’s position reflects a delicate balance between supporting counterterrorism efforts and preserving national sovereignty. “The African Democratic Congress recognises the serious security challenges confronting Nigeria and affirms that the protection of Nigerian lives and the defeat of terrorism must remain a central national priority,” the party stated, adding that it supports “all lawful and effective measures aimed at saving lives and restoring security.”
However, the party firmly opposed the physical deployment of foreign military forces within Nigeria’s borders. “We must not allow our desperation today to compromise the sovereignty of our country in whatever form or guise,” the ADC declared, framing the airstrikes as a measure of last resort that should not replace Nigerian-led security operations.
The opposition party attributed the reliance on foreign military intervention to what it termed “the historic incompetence of the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in dealing with the nation’s security challenges.” According to the ADC, the situation arose because the 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.”
Beyond questioning the necessity of foreign intervention, the ADC criticised how information about the strikes reached Nigerian citizens. The party noted that whilst President Tinubu directly addresses Nigerians on political matters, information about the airstrikes primarily came through American President Donald Trump’s social media post, with only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson providing official Nigerian comment.
“When it comes to politics and propaganda, the President addresses the nation directly. Yet, when faced with an issue as sensitive, momentous, and consequential as a foreign military strike on Nigerian soil, the primary source of information was a social media post by the American President,” Abdullahi stated, describing this as “a frightening lack of awareness of the historic significance of this incident by the President of Nigeria.”
The party’s statement also referenced Abdullahi’s observation that when “the President of Nigeria appears compelled to report himself to another head of state, even tagging a foreign President in a Christmas Day message, Nigerians are entitled to ask who is truly in charge of our country.”
Demanding accountability and transparency, the ADC called on the Tinubu administration to “inform Nigerians of the outcomes of the strike, including the number of terrorists reportedly killed.” This request underscores broader concerns about public access to information regarding military operations conducted on Nigerian soil.
The airstrikes in Sokoto State represent a significant development in Nigeria’s ongoing struggle against insurgency and terrorism, particularly as militant activities have expanded beyond the northeast into northwestern regions. The involvement of US military forces in direct combat operations within Nigeria raises constitutional and sovereignty questions that extend beyond immediate security concerns.
Nigeria’s northwest has experienced escalating violence from bandits and jihadist groups in recent years, with Sokoto State among the affected areas. The Islamic State West Africa Province and other militant organisations have exploited governance gaps and security weaknesses to establish footholds in rural communities.
