The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Tinubu for outsourcing Nigeria’s national security responsibilities to foreign powers

The party questions Nigeria’s role in US airstrike, demanding clarity on operational control and casualty numbers

ADC warns against ‘myopic surrender’ in Nigeria-US collaborations, citing risks to sovereignty and strategic autonomy

FCT, Abuja – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the recent US airstrike in Nigeria, accusing him of outsourcing his constitutional responsibility and effectively “reporting himself to another president”.

In a strongly worded statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned Nigeria’s role in the operation and warned that the incident poses serious risks to the country’s sovereignty, strategic autonomy and self-respect.

The party argued that statements by the Federal Government suggest Nigeria merely played an intelligence-support role, rather than leading the operation on its own soil.

“What we see is that President Tinubu has outsourced his most important constitutional responsibility, effectively taking a back seat in a vehicle, he is constitutionally assigned to drive,” the ADC said.

It added that Nigerians were entitled to ask who truly controls the country’s security when the President appears to defer publicly to a foreign leader.

“When the President of Nigeria appears compelled to report himself to another head of state, Nigerians are entitled to ask who is truly in charge of their country,” the statement said.

ADC questions nature of Nigeria–US collaboration

The ADC expressed concern over what it described as a troubling imbalance in the collaboration with the United States, alleging that Nigeria acted more as an informant than a lead partner.

“The Nigerian government merely played the role of an informant in an operation it should have led,” the party stated.

It also questioned why the United States was allowed to frame Nigeria’s security situation in what it described as “sectional religious terms”, if the relationship was indeed collaborative.

ADC demands for clarity on operational control and casualties

The party demanded a detailed explanation from the Federal Government on the terms of engagement and Nigeria’s level of operational control during the airstrike.

“What level of operational control did Nigerian security forces exercise? How many terrorists were actually neutralised?” the ADC asked.

It further questioned why Nigeria, despite spending trillions of naira on security over the years, was unable to lead the mission if it already possessed actionable intelligence.

ADC warns against ‘myopic surrender’ While reaffirming its support for the fight against terrorism, the ADC warned against what it termed “myopic surrender” disguised as strategic collaboration.

“There is a difference between strategic collaboration and myopic surrender that is ultimately counter-productive to national security and inimical to the long-term sovereign interests of Nigeria,” the party said.

The ADC noted that although it supports genuine efforts to secure the country, it remains deeply disturbed by the long-term implications of the US strike for Nigeria’s sovereignty and strategic independence.

The party concluded by stressing that a single strike could not end terrorism and urged the government to clearly explain its next steps.

“What matters now is the direction the government intends to take going forward, and it must start by answering the critical questions that this attack has thrown up,” the statement said.

The statement was signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, and issued in Abuja.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the air strikes, describing them as “precision hits” conducted within the framework of existing security cooperation with international partners.