President Bola Tinubu.
By Tina Ezin
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have expressed grave concern over a reported United States airstrike carried out on Nigerian territory on Christmas Day.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, December 29 by a wide coalition of organisations, including Amnesty International Nigeria, BudgIT, CLEEN Foundation, Media Rights Agenda, Yiaga Africa, CISLAC, SBM Intelligence, the Kukah Centre and several other rights and governance groups nationwide, warned that the incident raises serious questions about “national sovereignty, constitutional governance and civilian protection”.
The groups criticised what they described as the silence of Nigeria’s political and military leadership following the alleged operation, noting that no official explanation has been provided to Nigerians on the circumstances surrounding the strike.
The coalition said the reported involvement of a foreign military in addressing what it described as an internal security challenge reflects a deeper crisis of leadership and accountability.
They accused President Bola Tinubu of failing to publicly discharge his constitutional responsibility as Commander-in-Chief in the aftermath of the incident.
According to the statement, the absence of public communication from the President, the Service Chiefs and the leadership of the National Assembly has heightened public anxiety, leaving the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, as the only senior official to speak on the issue.
The organisations cited Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, arguing that any security operation involving foreign forces must be “transparent, lawful and subject to democratic oversight”.
While acknowledging the role of international cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts, the CSOs called for a critical review of Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) and the National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism to determine whether the reported strike aligns with established policy frameworks.
They also decried what they described as a severe information gap surrounding the alleged operation, noting that Nigerians have not been informed of the legal basis for authorising the strike, the rules of engagement, or the measures put in place to protect civilians.
The coalition cited reports that debris from expended munitions fell on farmlands in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and near a hotel in Offa, Kwara State, warning that such incidents underscore the risks posed to civilian life and property.
They noted that although the Nigerian Air Force inaugurated a Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Board in July 2025, no publicly articulated civilian harm mitigation protocols were presented in relation to the reported operation.
They warned that poor handling of the situation could worsen religious and communal tensions in an already fragile national environment, stressing that Nigeria’s security challenges must be addressed in a manner that promotes unity and social cohesion.
They called for transparent investigations into the incident, public disclosure of findings, assistance to affected communities and compensation where harm has occurred, warning that continued silence would further erode public trust.
