The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Federal Government’s handling of public communication following a recent United States strike on terrorist assets in Nigeria, urging authorities to improve transparency and coordination in matters of national security.
In a press a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP noted that Nigerians first learned about the operation through verified social media accounts of former US President Donald Trump and other American officials, long before Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released what it described as a “vague” and delayed statement.
While acknowledging the importance of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the opposition party expressed concern that foreign officials announced a major security operation on Nigerian soil ahead of the Nigerian government.
According to the PDP, such an “inverted communication approach” does not serve the interests of the Federal Government or the Nigerian people, especially against the backdrop of reports that US military forces have previously operated in Nigeria without the government’s knowledge or permission.
The party argued that the Federal Government should have been the first to brief Nigerians on the strike to properly inform and reassure the public, rather than reacting to information already circulating globally. It added that failure to do so raises questions about whether Nigerian authorities were fully aware of the operation.
The PDP further called on the Federal Government to ensure that defence agreements with the United States prioritised joint operations that promote knowledge sharing and capacity building for Nigerian security forces, instead of relying on externally led “precision attacks.”
The party maintained that such collaboration would better position Nigeria to sustainably address insecurity across the country.
