The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, has faulted the Federal Government’s assertion that it approved recent United States airstrikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, insisting that the operation was conducted without Nigeria’s consent.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on Arise Television, Rafsanjani criticised the government’s handling of the issue, describing official explanations as an attempt to control public perception rather than a clear defence of Nigeria’s sovereignty.
He maintained that the United States acted independently and did not seek formal authorisation from Nigerian authorities before launching the strikes.
“The American government did not get any approval to take action in Nigeria. What the Nigerian government has done subsequently is merely face-saving,” Rafsanjani said.
According to him, the manner in which the airstrikes were publicly announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump further suggested that Nigeria’s consent was not a prerequisite for the operation.
“America does not need Nigeria’s approval to carry out its actions. That much is evident from the way Trump announced the airstrikes,” he added.
Rafsanjani linked the development to what he described as Nigeria’s weak foreign policy posture and its failure to clearly communicate and defend its sovereignty in international engagements.
“This incident shows a failure of the state in its constitutional responsibility. The country is failing in its mandate,” he said.
He argued that the government’s inability to effectively protect lives and property has reduced Nigeria’s leverage in its dealings with foreign powers.
“The mandate to protect lives and property has been compromised. We probably operate with an outdated foreign policy document that does not allow us to communicate effectively,” Rafsanjani noted.
The CISLAC executive director also cautioned against narratives portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious conflict, warning that such framing is misleading and dangerous.
“This attack has helped promote the false idea that Nigeria is facing a religious war between Muslims and Christians. That is not the case, and it is very dangerous,” he said.
He stressed that terrorism cuts across religious and geographical boundaries in the country.
“We have terrorists attacking Nigerians irrespective of their religion or geographical location,” Rafsanjani added.
He urged the Federal Government to urgently review its security and foreign policy frameworks to strengthen national sovereignty, improve international engagement and restore public confidence.
Rafsanjani’s position sharply contrasts with that of the Federal Government.
Earlier on Friday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said President Bola Tinubu approved the U.S. airstrikes, dismissing claims that the operation violated Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Tuggar spoke shortly after the U.S. Department of War and former President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out strikes on terrorist enclaves in the North-West.
According to the minister, the operation was undertaken with Nigeria’s full knowledge and consent following consultations at the highest levels of government.
He said President Tinubu personally authorised the strikes as part of joint efforts to combat terrorism and safeguard lives and property.
“Now that the U.S. is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure that it is clearly stated that this is a joint operation,” Tuggar said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
He emphasised that the operation was not directed at any religious group, stressing Nigeria’s identity as a multi-religious society.
“We are working with partners like the U.S. to fight terrorism and protect the lives and property of Nigerians,” the minister said.
The airstrikes have sparked widespread debate, with critics raising concerns about Nigeria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
However, Tuggar insisted that the Federal Government would not authorise any action that undermines Nigeria’s independence or territorial control, adding that the strikes were carried out within the framework of international cooperation.
The controversy comes amid continued insecurity in Nigeria’s North-West, where armed groups have intensified attacks on communities, security personnel and critical infrastructure.
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