No Proof Nigeria Approved U.S. Airstrike – Rafsanjani

No Proof Nigeria Approved U.S. Airstrike – Rafsanjani

Civil rights activist and Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, has raised serious concerns over the reported United States airstrike in Nigeria, saying there was no public indication that the operation was jointly planned with the Nigerian government.

Reacting to the development, Rafsanjani warned that while the reported strike generated excitement in some quarters, it also exposed fundamental weaknesses in Nigeria’s internal security architecture, transparency and inter-agency coordination.

According to him, the incident inadvertently portrays Nigeria as incapable of fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.

“Nigeria is advertising its inability to secure its citizens against terrorists, bandits and violent criminals,” Rafsanjani said. “Political actors prioritise elections over meaningful security sector reforms, and this is costing the country dearly.”

The CISLAC director identified poor coordination, weak intelligence sharing and lack of cooperation among security agencies as major drivers of insecurity nationwide. He added that security sector corruption further complicates efforts to dismantle criminal and terrorist networks.

Rafsanjani also criticised the government for failing to decisively confront financiers and sponsors of terrorism, warning that impunity continues to fuel violence.

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“The inability or unwillingness of government to investigate, arrest, prosecute and convict terrorism sponsors has created room for insecurity to thrive,” he said. “Equally troubling is the lack of clear, honest public communication on security issues, which leaves citizens exposed to misinformation.”

On claims that Nigerian intelligence guided the reported U.S. airstrike, Rafsanjani expressed strong scepticism, insisting there was no evidence of joint planning or approval.

“The American government does not need Nigeria’s permission to act,” he said. “There was no public proof that this operation was jointly coordinated. If so, did the airstrike hit the right targets? Without verifiable outcomes, we must question whether misinformation is again at play.”

He further cautioned against framing Nigeria’s insecurity in religious terms, describing such narratives as dangerous and misleading.

“This is not a Christian-versus-Muslim conflict,” Rafsanjani stressed. “Criminals kill indiscriminately. Just days ago, a mosque was attacked, leaving several people dead and injured. Criminality, not religion, is the enemy.”

Rafsanjani warned that celebrating foreign military intervention could set a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s sovereignty and national security.

“No foreign power can save Nigeria,” he said. “Any assistance must be Nigeria-led. Once you normalise foreign intervention, you open the door for deeper involvement under the guise of stability or even regime change. No country acts for free.”

As debate continues over the reported Sokoto airstrike, analysts say the incident highlights the urgent need for credible leadership, national unity and sustained security reforms to address Nigeria’s long-running security challenges.

No Proof Nigeria Approved U.S. Airstrike – Rafsanjani