A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has expressed concern over what it described as the silence of Nigeria’s political and military leadership following an alleged United States airstrike on Nigerian territory on Christmas Day.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the groups said the development raises serious questions about national sovereignty, constitutional governance, civilian protection and democratic accountability.
The organisations accused President Bola Tinubu of failing to publicly address the incident in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, arguing that the involvement of a foreign military power in an internal security matter without explanation undermines Nigeria’s constitutional order and social contract.
They further expressed concern that the President, service chiefs and the leadership of the National Assembly were either unavailable or silent in the aftermath of the reported operation, leaving the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to respond publicly on an issue they said goes to the heart of national sovereignty.
According to the CSOs, the silence of key institutions reflects a breakdown of accountability, particularly in view of 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.
While acknowledging the importance of international counter-terrorism cooperation, the groups said such engagements must be transparent, lawful and subject to democratic oversight.
They called for a 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 operation aligns with existing frameworks.
The coalition also faulted the lack of information on the legal basis, scope and rules of engagement guiding the alleged strike, warning that the opacity has further eroded public trust.
They 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, raising concerns about risks to civilian life and property.
They noted that despite the inauguration of a Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Board by the Nigerian Air Force in July 2025, no publicly articulated civilian protection protocols were presented for the operation.
The CSOs warned that the handling of the incident could aggravate religious and communal tensions, stressing that Nigeria’s security challenges must not be framed in ways that deepen polarisation.
They called for transparent investigations, public disclosure of findings, assistance to affected communities and compensation where harm has occurred.
The statement was signed by several organisations, including Amnesty International Nigeria, BudgIT, CLEEN Foundation, Media Rights Agenda, Yiaga Africa, CISLAC, SBM Intelligence, the Kukah Centre and Enough Is Enough.
