Adamu Garba, a former presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress, has expressed worry over a recent US military action in Nigeria, claiming it damaged the intended collaboration with the Nigerian military.
Garba said in a statement via X on Sunday that, while he has long lobbied for the US to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism activities, the airstrikes on Christmas Day “run counter to our expectations.”
“We had openly advocated for US collaboration with Nigeria on the fight against terrorism, with the premise that the Nigerian military should take the lead, supported by the US military.
“However, what happened on Christmas Day runs counter to our expectations,” he said.
He condemned the launch of a “Tomahawk missile,” noting that Nigerian military personnel were not present at the base during the operation to coordinate with US forces.
“What we witnessed is like the US unilaterally launching the missile, reducing Nigeria’s very capable military to a fire brigade expected to handle only the aftermath of the attack,” Garba, also Director General of the Centre for African Progress and Development, said.
He expressed worry that debris from the missile remained on-site 48 hours after the strike without Nigerian military oversight and that there was little public communication from the Nigerian military regarding the joint operation.
“Prior to the launching of the Tomahawk missile, we should have seen Nigerian military personnel on the base coordinating with the US military before the launch.
“However, what we witnessed is like the U.S. unilaterally launching the missile, reducing Nigeria’s very capable military to a fire brigade expected to handle only the aftermath of the attack,” he said.
“If not, how can one explain that the debris and some components of the missile remained on-site 48 hours after the attack without Nigerian military presence to evacuate and evaluate the situation? I also cannot pinpoint any strong information from the Nigerian military to the public on the joint coordination with the US on this particular attack,” he added.
Garba warned that allowing the United States to lead such operations could put Nigerian civilians at risk.
“If Nigeria did not take the lead in the coordination and routing of these bombing campaigns, then no Nigerian is safe in their house, and there could be anytime, anywhere bombing in the name of fighting terrorists.
“The US did the same in Somalia, bombing the country from their offshore military bases for the past 30 years. Does this help stop terror in Somalia? Not at all; it further exacerbates terrorist operations in that country,” he said.
Drawing parallels to US actions in Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Libya, Garba contended that uncoordinated strikes frequently aggravate rather than control terrorism.
“Another risk we might be mindful of is the threat of all the terrorist groups operating in the Sahel. ISWAP, ISGS, MLF, Boko Haram, JNIM, and Lakurawa could unite their forces and confront the ‘BIG EVIL,’ as they refer to the U.S., on Nigerian soil. Do you know what that will mean?
“The Nigerian government should rather sit up and stop struggling to take credit for a single bombing campaign that, if care is not taken, could go beyond their control—or perhaps the government may be the first casualty, as we have seen in many countries mentioned above,” he added.
Garba appealed for a formal operational framework to be approved by the National Assembly before implementing joint counterterrorism campaigns.
“The Nigerian government needs to take the lead in this campaign. The US should kindly take a back seat and allow the Nigerian military to steer this operation, guiding the attack while properly respecting our human rights and sovereignty.
“The Nigerian government and the US government should agree on a common operational framework governing the war on terror in Nigeria, to be discussed and deliberated in the National Assembly, gazetted, and implemented by the Nigerian security establishment,” he said.
“Nigerian security institutions have extensive experience in combating terrorism and must guide operations on Nigerian soil. Either Nigeria takes the lead, or the US should stay off our sovereign lands, air, and sea spaces completely,” he concluded.
Garba’s comments come after President Donald Trump authorized and announced a Christmas airstrike in response to purported threats to Christians in the country.
The attack, carried out by a US Navy cruiser in the Gulf of Guinea, targeted two Islamic State compounds in Sokoto State, with reports of dispersed debris across agricultural areas.
Despite assurances of coordination and shared intelligence by the federal government, this has raised doubts about the amount of Nigerian involvement.
