Our Reporter, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Federal Government’s handling of information following reported United States airstrikes on bandits’ assets in Sokoto State on Christmas Day, saying the government failed to communicate effectively with Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Friday, and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the opposition party said Nigerians first learned about the strikes through verified social media accounts of former U.S. President Donald Trump and other American officials, before Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released what it described as a “vague” statement many hours later.
According to the PDP, while international cooperation in the fight against terrorism is welcome, it is troubling that foreign authorities announced a security operation carried out on Nigerian soil before the Nigerian government informed its own citizens.
“This inverted communication approach does not help the Federal Government or Nigerians in any way,” the party said, adding that the situation was particularly concerning given past reports that U.S. forces had previously operated in Nigeria without the knowledge or permission of the government.
The PDP argued that the Federal Government should have been the first to brief the public in order to properly sensitise Nigerians, rather than reacting to information already circulating publicly.
“The delay raises questions as to whether the government itself was taken unawares like the rest of the citizens,” the statement said.
The party further urged the Federal Government to ensure that any defence agreement with the United States prioritises joint operations that promote knowledge sharing and capacity building for Nigerian security agencies.
According to the PDP, such collaboration would help Nigeria sustainably address insecurity, rather than relying on what it described as fully externally led “precision attacks.”
