PDP FAULTS GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION FOLLOWING US STRIKE IN NIGERIA

The Peoples Democratic Party has criticized the Federal Government’s communication strategy following a United States military strike on terrorist assets within Nigeria. The party expressed concern that Nigerians first learned of the operation through the social media pages of US President Donald Trump and other American officials, hours before a Nigerian official statement was released.

In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party acknowledged the value of international cooperation against terrorism but condemned the “inverted communication approach.” Ememobong stated, “The Federal Government should have been the first to report the news in order to properly sensitize the Nigerian populace, instead of waiting to confirm news already in public circulation, unless they were taken unawares like the rest of the citizens.”

The PDP highlighted a pattern, noting that the US military has been reported to have previously operated in Nigeria without the government’s permission or knowledge. The party urged the government to ensure future defence agreements with the US prioritize joint operations over externally-led actions. “We urge the Federal Government to ensure that the defence agreement with the United States of America includes joint operations, which will ultimately result in knowledge sharing and experiential learning to help Nigeria sustainably combat insecurity, rather than full externally-led ‘precision attacks’,” Ememobong wrote.

Concluding the statement, Ini Ememobong reiterated the party’s position that the current communication framework does not benefit the government or the Nigerian people, especially when foreign powers announce security operations in the country first. The statement was dated December 26, 2025.