Activist and political commentator Omoyele Sowore has condemned the reported U.S. military strikes carried out on Nigerian territory, arguing that Nigeria’s safety and sovereignty can only be guaranteed by capable and knowledgeable local leadership rather than foreign intervention.
Sowore shared his views via a post on his X account while responding to reports that U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth approved attacks on suspected terrorist groups in Nigeria on Christmas Day.
“Although the Nigerian government now claims it was aware and describes the operation as a joint effort with vague ‘international partners,’ it is evident that the strikes were carried out without the genuine authority or informed consent of the weaklings masquerading as government under President Bola Tinubu,” Sowore stated.
He also faulted the United States for executing the strikes, which were reportedly aimed at a village in Sokoto, saying the action reflected a lack of proper understanding and sincere concern for Nigeria and its citizens.
“It is deeply troubling that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, lacks the capable and sovereign leadership required to protect its people and its territory,” he said, adding that the country has been reduced to a passive observer as its sovereignty is undermined under directives from the U.S. President.
Sowore concluded by restating his belief that only “true, tested, and informed leadership” within Nigeria can effectively defend the population, cautioning against dependence on foreign powers or “imperiled, jaundiced neoconservatives operating from Washington, D.C.”
His remarks have further fueled discussions surrounding foreign military involvement in Nigeria and questions about the nation’s capacity to manage its security challenges independently.