In the heated aftermath of the U.S. military airstrike in Sokoto State, prominent Niger Delta activist and former militant leader Asari Dokubo has issued a scathing and direct rebuttal, rejecting the official account of a successful counter-terrorism operation and challenging the very premise of U.S. intervention on Nigerian soil.
In a fiery public statement, Dokubo dismissed the strike as a theatrical failure, alleging it caused no harm to militant targets while recklessly endangering civilians. His claims present a starkly different picture from the narrative advanced by U.S. President Donald Trump, who declared a "powerful and deadly strike" against ISIS militants, and Nigerian officials who confirmed collaboration on the operation.
A Direct Accusation: "Bombs in an Open Field"
At the core of Dokubo's challenge is a bold contradiction of the mission's stated success. "The U.S. Army strike in Sokoto did not harm any bandits," he asserted. "They only dropped bombs in an open field, endangering the lives of innocent people." He further specified that the assets deployed were drones, not manned aircraft or ship-launched missiles as some analysts have suggested.
Dokubo then laid down a direct gauntlet to both Nigerian and U.S. authorities, demanding verifiable proof of the operation's effectiveness. "This is very shameful, and I don’t believe this claim at all," he stated. "I challenge anyone in Nigeria to show me even one terrorist they killed."
A Defense of Sovereignty and a Dismissal of Fear
Beyond questioning the strike's results, Dokubo framed the U.S. action as a violation of national sovereignty, albeit one with limits. He dismissed any notion that his criticism was born of intimidation, asking pointedly, "Do you think I’m afraid of President Donald Trump?"
However, he also delineated what he sees as the boundaries of permissible foreign intervention. "America cannot send troops into a sovereign nation like Nigeria; they can only collaborate with Nigerian troops," he stated, implicitly criticizing any perceived unilateral action while acknowledging a framework for joint operations—a framework he clearly believes was either abused or misrepresented in this instance.
Amplifying a Growing Chorus of Skepticism
Dokubo's vehement rejection amplifies a significant strand of domestic skepticism that has emerged since the December 25th strike. While the Nigerian federal government, through Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar, has confirmed it provided intelligence for the "joint" operation, other voices have expressed deep concern.
Similar to criticisms from Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who warned of a "neo-Crusade," Dokubo's statement reflects anxiety over foreign military presence and its potential to inflame local tensions or be used for geopolitical purposes beyond Nigeria's control. His challenge for proof of casualties also echoes calls from civil society groups, which have petitioned the National Assembly for a full public accounting of the strike and its aftermath, including any civilian harm.
By combining a tactical critique of the operation's execution with a principled argument about national sovereignty, Asari Dokubo's reaction ensures that the debate over the Sokoto airstrike will continue to rage not just in diplomatic circles, but in the court of Nigerian public opinion, where demands for transparency and accountability are growing louder.
0 Comments