SUNTV Global Channel Report
A faction of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has thrown its weight behind the United States following the Christmas Day airstrikes carried out against terrorist targets in North-West Nigeria, describing the operation as both timely and necessary.
In a statement released on Friday, Afenifere’s Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, praised the joint military action involving Nigerian and United States forces, saying it marked a decisive response to years of persistent insecurity that has devastated communities across several northern states.
According to Omololu, the strikes—confirmed by Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters as having received full approval from relevant federal authorities—represent a critical step in confronting terrorist groups linked to the Islamic State (IS) that have continued to unleash violence, abductions and destruction.
“Afenifere unequivocally supports this decisive action,” Omololu said. “For far too long, innocent Nigerians have lived under siege while terrorist enclaves flourished. At this critical point, the involvement of capable international partners who understand the urgency of the situation deserves commendation, not condemnation.”
The group argued that prolonged governance failures and weak security responses had created a vacuum that made external assistance inevitable, stressing that national sovereignty should be judged by a government’s ability to protect lives and secure its territory.
“True sovereignty is not measured by political rhetoric but by the capacity to safeguard citizens, enforce the rule of law and restore peace,” the statement noted. “The lives of Nigerians must always come before populist criticism.”
Afenifere also called on Nigerians, political actors and civil society groups to avoid undermining the counter-terrorism efforts through what it described as “misplaced criticism,” urging unity and cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
“The courage, professionalism and resolve shown by both Nigerian and United States forces should be applauded,” Omololu added, reaffirming the group’s support for any domestic or joint measures aimed at ensuring the safety and security of Nigerians.
The statement follows an announcement by US President Donald Trump, who revealed that American forces had conducted what he described as “powerful and deadly” strikes against Islamic State militants operating in North-West Nigeria. Trump warned that further attacks would follow if the militants continued targeting Christians.
Nigeria’s federal government later confirmed the operation, with Defence Headquarters describing it as one of the most significant known instances of active US military involvement on Nigerian soil in the ongoing battle against Islamist-linked terrorists and armed groups.
