By BONIFACE AKARAH

A Nigeria-based solidarity group has condemned what it described as U.S. military aggression against Venezuela, warning that the reported capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife has raised serious concerns about national sovereignty, international law and the safety of the Venezuelan leader.

The warning was issued by the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in Nigeria (VSCN)—a coalition of labour, human rights and civil society activists—in a statement sent to News Express on Saturday, January 3, 2026, shortly after reports emerged of U.S. air strikes and the detention of President Maduro. The statement was jointly signed by Gerald O. Katchy, National Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights; Dimeji Macaulay, Coordinator of the Anti-Fascist Movement; Blessing Yusuf of the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON); and Abiodun Emmanuel Fayemi of the African Farmers and Agricultural Practitioners (AFAP).

“The alarming uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts and safety of President Nicolás Maduro following these attacks underscores the reckless and lawless nature of this aggression,” the group said, describing the military action as “terrorism at the level of states.”

The campaign rejected claims that the operation was motivated by democracy or human rights, arguing instead that it was driven by strategic and economic interests.

“This attack is not about democracy or human rights. It is about oil, control, and punishing a people who refuse to bow to imperial dictates,” the statement said.

Drawing parallels with Africa’s history of foreign intervention, the group said Nigerians were familiar with what it called the “imperialist playbook,” citing Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan as examples where military action led to prolonged instability.

“As Nigerians and Africans, we recognise this pattern. We have lived through colonialism, proxy wars and foreign interference disguised as humanitarian intervention,” the group noted.

The VSCN demanded an immediate halt to U.S. military actions against Venezuela, the release of clear information on President Maduro’s condition, and the lifting of what it described as illegal sanctions imposed on the country.

It also called on the Nigerian government, the African Union and other governments in the Global South to publicly oppose the action, warning that “silence in the face of aggression is complicity.”

The group further urged labour unions, youth groups and civil society organisations across Africa and beyond to mobilise in solidarity with Venezuela, insisting that the country’s future must be decided by Venezuelans alone.

“Venezuela’s future must be determined free from bombs, sanctions, threats and coercion,” the statement said.

Update news