The Nigerian government has been criticised by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for failing to disclose U.S. airstrikes in the country’s north‑west region before President Donald Trump announced them on social media. Trump revealed the strikes on Thursday, noting that several terrorists were killed. The Nigerian government later confirmed the attacks, stating they were carried out in collaboration with the United States.
PDP spokesman Ini Ememobong argued that the federal government should have been the first to inform Nigerians, rather than waiting to confirm the news after it had already been made public by U.S. authorities. He expressed concern about a communication structure in which foreign powers break news of security operations in Nigeria before the government does. The party described the “passive confirmation” of the Nigerian government’s knowledge and cooperation as troubling, especially given previous reports of U.S. military operations in Nigeria conducted without the government’s permission or knowledge.
The PDP emphasised the need for effective, proactive communication with the public. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed that the operation in Sokoto was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, also disclosed that the government approved the airstrikes and provided intelligence to the United States, stressing that the mission was a joint effort and not targeted at any specific religion.
The development follows President Trump’s warning about the threat of radical Islamic terrorism in Nigeria, which he described as an “existential threat” amounting to “genocide” against Christians. The U.S. strikes are seen as a significant step in the fight against terrorism in the region, with the Nigerian government acknowledging the importance of international cooperation in addressing the issue.
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