A prominent figure within Nigeria's ruling party has made a controversial demand of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to take a firm stand against citizens critical of recent American military operations on Nigerian soil.
Call to Action Against Critics
Chief Ben Adaji, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, has publicly called for President Tinubu to officially designate individuals and groups opposing the United States' recent airstrikes as enemies of Nigeria. Adaji, a former House of Representatives candidate for Ankpa Federal Constituency, made this statement in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Saturday, 27 December 2025.
His comments were a direct reaction to criticisms voiced by some Islamic clerics following reported US airstrikes on terrorist enclaves in parts of North-West Nigeria on Thursday evening. Adaji described public condemnation of the US action as either "the height of hypocrisy" or an open admission of involvement in the prolonged violence plaguing the nation.
Questioning Sympathy for Armed Groups
"Nigerians have continued to suffer untold hardship and huge losses due to the activities of these terrorists," Adaji stated. He emphasised the unquantifiable damage in terms of lives lost, property destroyed, and national humiliation. The APC chief expressed bafflement that any Nigerian would show sympathy towards groups responsible for years of killings and destruction.
"It is simply unfathomable that any rational human being should be sympathetic to their cause, except if they are complicit," he asserted. "That is why I listened to some senior clerics condemning the actions of the US army with utter consternation. I believe every Nigerian should be grateful that the US has taken this bold step."
Demands for Prosecution and Sustained US Support
Adaji, who described himself as a security expert in human security and counter-terrorism, urged President Tinubu and the National Security Adviser to ensure the public prosecution of individuals identified as supporters of terrorist groups. He alleged that critics of the airstrikes might be sponsors or beneficiaries of terrorist activities and called for an end to negotiations with armed groups, advocating instead for a decisive military response.
He further appealed to the United States to sustain and expand its military support to cover all regions affected by insecurity, including areas troubled by banditry and attacks by armed herders. "This is the right time to put an end to this madness," he said, expressing confidence in continued US intervention.
Adaji also questioned the politicisation of insecurity, which he said has claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed property worth billions of naira. "Being a religious leader does not place anyone above the law," he noted, pointing out that both Christians and Muslims have suffered. He called on Nigerian security agencies to remain steadfast and for the federal government to fully support genuine international interventions aimed at restoring peace.
