The African Democratic Congress has weighed in on the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes in Sokoto State, emphasising the urgent need for Nigeria to address its domestic security challenges.
Spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi wrote on X on Friday, “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.
“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?”
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that the United States conducted airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Nigeria’s Sokoto State on December 25, 2025, in what officials described as coordinated action with Nigerian authorities to counter jihadist threats in the northwest.
US Africa Command said the strikes targeted ISIS‑linked positions after Washington and Abuja shared intelligence, though information on casualties and the precise role of Nigerian forces has been limited and sparked debate over sovereignty and communication.
Highlighting the stakes, the ADC on Friday acknowledged the broader security context in the country.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) 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.
“We therefore support all lawful and effective measures aimed at saving lives and restoring security,” the party said.
Despite this recognition, the party stressed its concerns about foreign military involvement.
It continued, “Nevertheless, the ADC reiterates its long-standing opposition to the physical operation of foreign military forces on Nigerian soil.
“We must not allow our desperation today to compromise the sovereignty of our country in whatever form or guise.”
The ADC clarified its position regarding the recent airstrikes, framing them as a last-resort measure,
“It is in this context that we accept the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes on ‘terrorist locations’ in Sokoto State on Thursday, December 25, 2025, only as a desperate measure that must not be allowed to substitute for a Nigeria-led action against its domestic security challenges,” the party asserted.
Criticising the President Bola Tinubu-led government’s handling of national security, the ADC explicitly attributed the reliance on foreign action to administrative failings.
“As an anomaly, the action can only be justified in the context of the historic incompetence of the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in dealing with the nation’s security challenges.
“This is what happens when a 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,” Abudllahi quoted the ADC as saying.
Finally, the party expressed concern over how information about the strike was communicated to Nigerians.
“The manner in which Nigerians were informed of this development is equally troubling. 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, while the only information coming from Nigeria was from a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“This reflects a frightening lack of awareness of the historic significance of this incident by the President of Nigeria,” it concluded.
The ADC concluded by calling for transparency, urging the government to “inform Nigerians of the outcomes of the strike, including the number of terrorists reportedly killed.”
