The Presidency has clarified that the recent United States airstrikes carried out in parts of Sokoto State were strictly targeted at terrorists and not directed at any ethnic or religious group, amid growing public debate over the operation.
According to the Federal Government, the strike was a joint military operation between Nigeria and the United States, executed after weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and strategic coordination by both countries.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Mr Daniel Bwala, made the clarification in a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.
“For clarity, I spoke with Sky News on this: yesterday’s strike was a joint Nigeria–U.S. operation built on weeks of collaboration, intelligence sharing and surveillance,” Bwala stated.
He emphasised that Nigeria played a central role in the operation, particularly in intelligence provision, coordination and post-strike assessment, countering insinuations that the action was externally imposed or unilateral.
“Nigeria played a key intelligence role, with coordination before and after the strike,” he added.
Bwala stressed that the military action formed part of the government’s sustained counter-terrorism campaign and should not be misconstrued as an attack on any community, religion or ethnicity.
“This is part of sustained efforts to end terrorism and should not be seen as ethnic or religious targeting,” he said.
The presidential aide further noted that the administration remains focused solely on neutralising criminal and terrorist networks threatening national security.
“The government is only interested in targeting criminals,” Bwala declared.
The clarification follows reports and speculations surrounding the U.S. involvement in recent air operations in northern Nigeria, as well as concerns raised by sections of the public over sovereignty and possible civilian implications.
Security analysts say the Presidency’s statement underscores Nigeria’s continued reliance on strategic international partnerships while maintaining operational control in its fight against terrorism.
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