The Big Tent Coalition, led by Prof. Pat Utomi, has condemned, in the strongest terms what it described as “the glaring hypocrisy, incoherence and lack of strategic clarity displayed by the Nigerian Federal Government in its handling of Thursday night’s United States airstrikes against ISIS-linked terrorists in North-west Nigeria.”

“It is now on record that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, working in collaboration with the United States of America, executed precision strikes against identified ISIS-linked elements in Sokoto State, an operation subsequently confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nearly 24 hours after the operation,” Big Tent Coalition said in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Communication, Charles Odibo.

“This development,” the coalition said, “exposes a staggering contradiction.” It noted that, “Barely last month, the Presidency – through its Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, publicly attacked Peter Obi for stating that he would welcome U.S. military assistance if it helped improve Nigeria’s security.

“Onanuga went as far as declaring that Nigerians would “never forget nor forgive” Obi for allegedly supporting foreign intervention.

“Today, the same administration has endorsed and confirmed actual foreign military action on Nigerian soil. This is not only hypocritical, it is an indictment of a government that speaks without thinking, attacks without reflection and governs without a coherent national security communication strategy.

“The Tinubu administration owes Peter Obi an immediate and unreserved apology. You cannot vilify a prominent citizen for expressing a conditional policy opinion, only to turn around and implement that very option in practice. This flip-flop exposes a government that lacks clarity, coordination, and credibility in its approach to national security,” the Big Tent Coalition further said.

Beyond the apology owed to Obi, the Big Tent Coalition is alarmed by what it described as the Federal Government’s disorganised and belated communication on a matter as grave as foreign military operations within Nigeria’s territory. According to it, “While U.S. President Donald Trump personally announced the strike on behalf of his country, Nigerians were left to piece together fragmented confirmations from multiple officials, nearly 24 hours after the fact, raising serious questions about leadership, transparency, and sovereignty management.”

The coalition asked: “If, as now admitted, Nigeria engaged in “structured security cooperation” with the United States, why did the Presidency choose silence? Why were Nigerians subjected to conflicting narratives from different arms of government? And why was a presidential spokesperson so quick to politicise and demonise a patriotic comment, only for the government to adopt the same course of action?”

The Big Tent Coalition noted that “the security of Nigeria is too serious for propaganda, knee-jerk attacks, and posturing. Leadership demands consistency, humility and honesty with the Nigerian people.”

It called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct his spokesperson “to formally apologise to Obi for the unjustified attack; institute discipline and coherence in government communication on national security matters; personally address Nigerians on the nature, scope, and rules governing foreign security cooperation in Nigeria. Nigeria deserves a government that leads with clarity and strategy, not confusion or spite.”

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