Former Sokoto State governor and senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on Sunday visited Jabo District in Sokoto State to commiserate with residents following recent United States airstrikes on suspected terrorist enclaves in the area.
The airstrikes, which reportedly occurred between the night of 25 December and the early hours of 26 December, targeted terrorist hideouts and formed part of coordinated counterterrorism operations in the North-West.
During the visit, Mr Tambuwal urged residents to remain calm and continue cooperating with security agencies amid ongoing military efforts to contain terrorist activities in the region.
He described the incident as unfortunate, sympathised with affected residents and prayed that similar occurrences would not be repeated.
“Whenever incidents like this happen, people naturally become worried and concerned,” Mr Tambuwal said.
“It is important for leaders to be on ground, assess the situation, reassure the people and ensure peace.”
Call for unity against terrorism
The former governor commended community leaders and residents for their calm response, noting that it helped prevent panic and escalation of tension.
He stressed that terrorism should not be framed along ethnic or religious lines, describing it as a collective threat to society.
“This is not a religious war or an ethnic war. It is a war of all people of goodwill against people of evil,” he said.
“Terrorism and terrorists are nobody’s friends.”
Mr Tambuwal urged continued cooperation with security agencies, noting that peace and security were essential for economic activities and freedom of worship.
Responding, the District Head of Jabo, Aliyu Graba, thanked Mr Tambuwal for identifying with the community during what he described as a difficult period. He also commended the Federal Government and security agencies for their response, reaffirming the community’s commitment to peace.
Olawepo-Hashim criticises APC over foreign military involvement
Meanwhile, former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has criticised the APC-led Federal Government, describing the US airstrikes on Islamic State-linked enclaves in Nigeria as evidence of deepening security and governance failures.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Mr Olawepo-Hashim said the involvement of foreign forces underscored growing international concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, particularly in the North-West.
He also referenced the recent explosion in Offa, Kwara State, as further indication of weak internal security coordination and intelligence failures.
According to him, Nigeria’s increasing reliance on external military intervention amounted to a “damning indictment” of the country’s internal security architecture.
He said global actors could not ignore the emergence of Islamic State-linked elements in Nigeria, describing the country as “too large, too strategic, and too important to be allowed to fail.”
Warnings over sovereignty and governance
Mr Olawepo-Hashim disclosed that since 2021, his team had warned that security modelling in the North-West pointed towards the possible emergence of IS-aligned enclaves if decisive action was not taken.
He linked the worsening security situation to poverty, prolonged governance failures and weakened institutions, which he said had emboldened extremist groups while shrinking the space for moderate political voices.
While acknowledging that foreign airstrikes could temporarily degrade terrorist capabilities, he warned that sustainable peace would require comprehensive internal reforms.
He cautioned that repeated external military interventions could raise sovereignty and accountability concerns, stressing that any security cooperation with foreign partners must be governed by transparency and clear oversight.
Mr Olawepo-Hashim questioned the capacity of the APC-led Federal Government to implement the reforms needed to stabilise the country, warning that continued denial and half-measures could deepen Nigeria’s security crisis.
