Fani-Kayode Criticizes New York Times Over Sokoto Strike Coverage
Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has issued a sharp rebuttal to a recent New York Times report concerning the Sokoto airstrikes, describing the publication’s narrative as "demeaning" to both Nigeria and the United States.
The controversy stems from the late December 2025 military operation in Sokoto State, where U.S. Navy warships launched Tomahawk missiles against suspected camps of the Lakurawa insurgent group and ISIS affiliates. While the Nigerian government and the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) framed the strikes as a successful joint counter-terrorism effort, recent international media reports have questioned the precision and motives of the mission.
The Source of the Dispute
Fani-Kayode's critique targets the framing of the operation by the New York Times, which suggested the strikes were unilaterally driven by U.S. political interests or targeted incorrectly. The former minister argued that such reporting undermines the strategic partnership between the two nations and ignores the shared security objectives established by President Bola Tinubu and President Donald Trump.
The strikes, which hit locations in the Isa, Tangaza, and Tambuwal districts, were intended to degrade the Lakurawa group, which has been terrorizing local communities. Fani-Kayode emphasized that portraying Nigeria as a passive actor or a mere "theatre" for foreign interests is an insult to Nigerian sovereignty and the professional coordination of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Impact on National Security
The debate comes at a sensitive time for the region. While many local leaders have welcomed the intervention as a necessary blow against banditry, others have raised concerns about collateral damage after reports emerged of unexploded ordnance in nearby farmlands.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains that the operation was based on credible intelligence and was essential to preventing the further spread of extremist violence in the North-West. Fani-Kayode’s intervention reflects a broader pushback by Nigerian officials against foreign narratives that they believe distort the reality of the country's security challenges.
We will continue to monitor the situation in Sokoto and provide updates as more details on the operation’s aftermath become available.
