SUNTV Global Channel | December 26, 2025
South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has strongly condemned the United States over airstrikes carried out in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day, warning that the operation signals a dangerous resurgence of American militarism on the African continent.
In a statement issued on Friday, the EFF accused Washington of violating Nigeria’s sovereignty after US forces reportedly launched airstrikes in Sokoto State. The operation was publicly praised by US President Donald Trump, who described the attacks as “powerful and deadly” strikes against Islamic State (ISIL) targets.
The EFF described the action as an act of “military imperialism,” arguing that it reflects a reckless disregard for African self-determination and regional stability.
“The Economic Freedom Fighters condemns the United States of America’s airstrikes carried out on Nigerian soil on 25 December 2025,” the party said, adding that the strikes represent a “dangerous escalation of American military imperialism in Africa.”
The South African opposition group also criticised President Trump’s rhetoric surrounding the attack, accusing him of using inflammatory and religiously charged language to justify foreign military intervention. According to the EFF, Trump portrayed the United States as a “self-appointed saviour” by claiming Christians were being “viciously killed” in northern Nigeria.
The party rejected this framing, arguing that violence in northern Nigeria is complex and rooted in poverty, criminal banditry, insurgency and state failure, affecting Christians, Muslims and traditional communities alike.
“For weeks, Western politicians and media have oversimplified Nigeria’s crisis into a misleading narrative of ‘Christians being killed by Muslims,’” the statement said. “This selective amplification creates moral cover for military intervention.”
The EFF further criticised the repeated use of the label “ISIL-linked,” warning that it has historically been used to legitimise US military actions across Africa and the Middle East.
“Once a region is branded ‘ISIL-linked,’ it becomes open season for American drones and missiles, with little or no accountability,” the party said, cautioning that West Africa is now being subjected to the same pattern seen elsewhere.
The group also took aim at Nigeria’s official response to the strikes, describing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ praise of US–Nigeria security cooperation as a sign of weakness.
“This response does not reflect a confident or independent state,” the EFF said. “It suggests African governments can be politically pressured into endorsing foreign military operations on their own soil.”
Warning Nigeria against allowing sustained US military activity within its borders, the EFF argued that American interventions are rarely neutral or beneficial.
“The USA has no history of interventions that are mutually beneficial,” the statement claimed, alleging that Washington’s actions are driven by imperial interests, including access to natural resources such as oil.
Drawing comparisons with Venezuela, the party accused the US of using counter-terrorism narratives to advance economic and strategic objectives.
“Under the guise of fighting terrorism, the USA is positioning itself to maximise oil-related interests in Nigeria,” the EFF alleged.
The party framed the airstrikes as a broader threat to the continent, warning that the Trump administration is prepared to impose military force wherever it deems necessary. It also linked the action in Nigeria to rising tensions between Washington and South Africa over global political issues, including Palestine.
“Africa is in grave danger,” the statement warned, urging African nations not to allow Nigeria to become a gateway for renewed US imperial influence.
Concluding its message, the EFF expressed solidarity with the Nigerian people and called on African and continental institutions to take a firm stand.
“The EFF stands with the people of Nigeria, not with imperial forces or compliant elites,” the statement said. “If Africa does not resist now, the continent risks once again becoming a battlefield for foreign powers seeking relevance through destruction.”
— SUNTV Global Channel
