…‘We thought it was air crash,’ Sokoto residents
…Nigerians need to know number of terrorists killed –ADC
The Federal Government has confirmed that debris from recent United States–backed airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves landed in parts of Sokoto and Kwara states, though no civilian casualties were recorded.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the government said the precision strikes were jointly carried out by Nigeria and the United States against two major ISIS hideouts located within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to the statement, intelligence reports established that the targeted locations were being used as assembly and staging grounds by foreign ISIS fighters infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region, in collaboration with local affiliates, to plan and execute large-scale terrorist attacks within the country.
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The operation was conducted between 12:12 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on Friday, December 26, 2025, following explicit approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It was executed under established command and control structures, with the full involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and under the supervision of the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, alongside the Chief of Defence Staff.
The Federal Government disclosed that the strikes were launched from maritime platforms stationed in the Gulf of Guinea after extensive intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and operational planning.
A total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles, successfully neutralising ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria through the Sahel corridor.
However, during the operation, debris from expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, as well as in Offa, Kwara State, near the premises of a hotel.
The government stressed that no civilian casualties were recorded in either location and that relevant authorities promptly secured the affected areas to prevent any secondary risks.
Reaffirming its commitment to national security, the Federal Government said it remains resolute in confronting, degrading and eliminating terrorist threats, particularly those posed by transnational extremist networks seeking to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and stability.
“Nigeria remains fully aligned with its strategic partners and Friends of Nigeria in executing coordinated actions aimed at ensuring lasting peace, border security, and regional stability,” the statement said.
The government further assured Nigerians that it is firmly in control of the national security architecture and fully committed to the protection of lives and property across the country. Citizens were urged to remain calm and vigilant as decisive counter-terrorism operations continue nationwide.
‘We thought it was air crash,’ Sokoto residents recount U.S. airstrike
Residents of Jabo town in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State recounted harrowing experiences following a U.S. airstrike late Friday, with many initially mistaking the fiery descent for an aircraft crash.
Abubakar Shehu Jabo, a resident and Information Officer for Tambuwal LGA, said the incident occurred around 10:30 pm.
“Because of the loud noise and the speed at which the burning object descended, many of us thought it was an air crash,” he explained.
“But when we cautiously moved closer, we realised it was not an aircraft but something else entirely.”
Sarkin Fawan Jabo, Muhammadu Abubkar, reassured the public that the communities of Jabo and Bargini have long lived peacefully and have never harbored terrorists or bandits.
He recalled only a single kidnapping incident in 2000, emphasizing that the area has remained calm since then.
“We do not harbor terrorists or bandits in our communities. This place has been calm and peaceful for a very long time, which makes this incident even more disturbing,” he said.
A resident of Bargini village described the explosion as devastating. Families preparing for bed were startled by a thunderous blast, followed by thick smoke and flames that sent villagers fleeing in panic.
The unexpected bombardment has raised alarm not only in Sokoto State but across Nigeria, as citizens question the source, intent, and broader implications of such operations in previously secure areas.
The incident underscores the urgent need for coordinated intelligence, surveillance, and security assurances to prevent further panic and ensure public safety.
Nigerians need to know number of terrorists killed –ADC
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the December 25, 2025 United States airstrikes in Sokoto State as a consequence of what it called the incompetence of the present administration, insisting that Nigerians deserve to know how many terrorists were killed.
The party, while welcoming lawful efforts to protect the lives of Nigerians, blamed what it described as “the failure of governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the unprecedented military attack carried out by a foreign army on Nigerian soil.”
It warned that “permitting external forces to carry out direct military operations in the country is not sustainable and potentially undermines Nigeria’s strategic interests in the long run.”
In a statement on Friday, the party also questioned Nigeria’s actual role in the “collaboration,” insisting that Nigeria should not be “mere informants” in an operation that it should be leading.
The statement, signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the party, also demanded “clarifications on operational control, casualties, and specific information about the number and identity of actual terrorists that were killed in the operation.”
The party cautioned against confusing “collaboration” with what it called “myopic surrender,” and expressed concern over government’s handling of information surrounding the operation and the persistent framing of the war against terror in religious terms by the U.S., which it said ultimately endangers Nigeria’s national unity.
Recognising the serious security challenges confronting Nigeria, the party affirmed that the protection of Nigerian lives and the defeat of terrorism must remain a central national priority.
The statement read, “We therefore support all lawful and effective measures aimed at saving lives and restoring security. Nevertheless, the ADC reiterates its long-standing opposition to the physical operation of foreign military forces on Nigerian soil. We must not allow our desperation today to compromise the sovereignty of our country in whatever form or guise.
“It is in this context that we accept the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes on “terrorist locations” in Sokoto State on Thursday, December 25, 2025, only as a desperate measure that must not be allowed to substitute for a Nigeria-led action against its domestic security challenges.
“As an anomaly, the action can only be justified in the context of the historic incompetence of the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in dealing with the nation’s security challenges. This is what happens when a government behaves as though governance is all about revenue collection and all other issues, including national security and diplomacy, could be treated as an afterthought.
“The manner in which Nigerians were informed of this development is equally troubling. When it comes to politics and propaganda, the President addresses the nation directly. Yet, when faced with an issue as sensitive, momentous, and consequential as a foreign military strike on Nigerian soil, the primary source of information was a social media post by the American President, while the only information coming from Nigeria was from a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This reflects a frightening lack of awareness of the historic significance of this incident by the President of Nigeria.”
The ADC faulted the role played by the Nigerian government in the operation, demanding explanation on the terms of engagement in the “collaboration.”
ADC said, in other words, “the Nigerian government merely played the role of an informant in an operation it should have led. We also wonder why Nigeria has allowed the United States government to persist in framing the security situation in sectional religious terms if indeed the relationship is collaborative.
“We therefore demand from the government a clear explanation of the role of Nigeria and the terms of engagement in this ‘collaboration.’ What level of operational control did Nigerian security forces exercise? How many terrorists were actually neutralised? If Nigeria possessed the intelligence that it could pass on to the United States to guide this operation, why was the country unable to lead the mission, despite the trillions of naira spent over the years on security?
“What special skills or technology did this operation require that Nigeria does not possess? What are the immediate outcomes of the strike, and how many more such strikes should we expect?”
The party warned that there is a difference between strategic collaboration and “myopic surrender that is ultimately counter-productive to national security and inimical to the long-term sovereign interests of Nigeria”, saying that what they saw is that “President Tinubu has outsourced his most important constitutional responsibility, effectively taking a back seat in a vehicle he is constitutionally assigned to drive.
“When the President of Nigeria appears compelled to report himself to another head of state, even tagging a foreign President in a Christmas Day message, Nigerians are entitled to ask who is truly in charge of their country.
“Let us be clear. The ADC supports the fight against terrorism and will support any genuine effort to secure the nation. However, we are deeply disturbed by the long-term implications of this incident for Nigeria’s sovereignty, strategic autonomy, and self-respect.
“No one would believe that a single strike on one location can end a war of this nature. Therefore, what matters now is the direction the government intends to take going forward. But it must start by answering the critical questions that this attack has thrown up.”
