A Wake-Up Call to Abuja? –Security Expert
By Luka Binniyat
(Abuja) — Both the United States and Nigeria confirmed that multiple airstrikes were carried out against what they called terrorist targets in Northwest Nigeria, marking a significant escalation in foreign-backed counterterrorism operations in the region. However, neither government disclosed how many missiles were fired, the precise targets struck, or the armed groups allegedly hit.
U.S. Ships in the Gulf of Guinea fired more than a dozen Tomahawk missiles into Sokoto State on the night of Christmas day, according to Washington Post and London-based Counter-terrorism expert David Otto, who spoke to TruthNigeria by phone.
The lack of operational detail has fueled speculation and concern, particularly in Sokoto State, where at least one of the strikes reportedly landed near a civilian settlement.
Strike Location: Joba Village, Tambuwal LGA
Local accounts indicate that one missile struck near Jabo village, close to Jabo town, in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, approximately 58 kilometers south of Sokoto metropolis.
Residents said the explosion occurred in the early hours, sending shockwaves through the rural community.
“There was a loud explosion, and people ran out of their houses in fear,” said Malam Sadiq Lawal, a farmer in Joba. “But nobody was killed, and no house collapsed. Later we saw a crater outside the village.”
No Casualties Confirmed by Locals and Journalists
Multiple residents and journalists who independently visited the scene confirmed that no casualties were recorded.
“I went to the exact spot where the bomb landed,” said Abdulrahman Bello, a Sokoto-based journalist. “There were no bodies, no injured persons, and no signs of civilians being harmed — just a clear impact point.”
Other reporters corroborated Bello’s account, stating that no medical facilities in Tambuwal or Sokoto metropolis received victims linked to the strike.
Wake Up Call or Faulty Intelligence?
Responses from newspapers loyal to the Tinubu-led government charged that the cruise missiles targeted the wrong locations.
Another view was that strikes likely were a “Wake-up Call” to Nigerian authorities who have turned a blind eye to wholesale massacres of unarmed Christians for years, according to TruthNigeria reporting.
“The strikes show the U.S. has the capability to strike anywhere in Northern Nigeria. It was a wake-up call,” Otto said.
The fact is the missiles didn’t target the group known to be the killer of most Christians who die for their faith every year, the Fulani ethnic militia, according to Judd Saul, founder of TruthNigeria.com.
“We are waiting to see if this is just about ISIS (Islamic State of West Africa or Boko Haram) or if this is going to kill the terrorists who are actually killing the Christians in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, which would be the Fulani ethnic militia,” Saul said to TruthNigeria.
Community Describes Area as Terror-Free
Residents were unanimous in describing Joba and surrounding communities as among the safest rural districts in Sokoto State, with no known history of terrorist camps, ISIS affiliates, or bandit enclaves.
“This area is peaceful. We don’t have Boko Haram, ISIS, or kidnappers operating here,” said Hassan Mohammed, a local youth leader. “That is why people are confused about what target was hit.”
No arms caches, militant hideouts, or arrests have been publicly linked to the strike, deepening uncertainty over the intelligence that led to the bombing.
Unanswered Questions Over Targets
Despite official references to “terrorist targets,” several questions remain unresolved:
Did the strike hit ISIS-linked fighters, as some speculate?
Was it another armed group or bandit-kidnap syndicate?
Were there innocent victims whose deaths have not yet been acknowledged?
Was the intelligence flawed or outdated?
Security analysts warn that the absence of transparency risks eroding public trust and could inflame local resentment.
Concerns Over Blowback and Radical Retaliation
“The airstrike has raised fears that U.S. involvement could attract retaliatory attacks by Islamist extremist groups, potentially expanding Nigeria’s security crisis rather than containing it,” said Dr. Sanda Audu, a security analyst to TruthNigeria from Abuja, Friday.
The Analyst notes that foreign military intervention, particularly in areas previously untouched by terror violence, can alter threat dynamics and provoke radical propaganda narratives.
Sheikh Gumi: Support for Fighting Terror, Rejection of U.S. Role
Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi weighed in with a strongly worded statement, affirming that fighting terrorists is legitimate within Islam but condemning U.S. involvement.
“Annihilating terrorists is an Islamic obligation,” Gumi said, citing prophetic traditions. “But it must be done by clean hands, not by another terrorist whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent people.”
Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a battleground for foreign powers is a strategic and moral error.
“No nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. The U.S. involvement will attract real anti-U.S. forces and turn Nigeria into a battlefield.”
He also urged affected communities to document any harm caused by the strikes.
“All villages affected should upload videos and pictures of any casualties involved,” Gumi said, stressing that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism without serious ground operations.
Community Left with Fear — and Questions
Back in Jabo village, residents say they are grateful no lives were lost but remain unsettled.
“If there was danger here, we would know,” Malam Lawal said quietly. “We just want the truth — and peace.”
As official silence continues over the exact targets and intelligence behind the strike, concerns persist over possible blowback and whether Nigeria risks trading one security challenge for a far more complex one.
Lika Binniyat writes for TruthNigeria from Kaduna.
A Wake-Up Call to Abuja? –Security Expert
By Luka Binniyat
(Abuja) — Both the United States and Nigeria confirmed that multiple airstrikes were carried out against what they called terrorist targets in Northwest Nigeria, marking a significant escalation in foreign-backed counterterrorism operations in the region. However, neither government disclosed how many missiles were fired, the precise targets struck, or the armed groups allegedly hit.
U.S. Ships in the Gulf of Guinea fired more than a dozen Tomahawk missiles into Sokoto State on the night of Christmas day, according to Washington Post and London-based Counter-terrorism expert David Otto, who spoke to TruthNigeria by phone.
The lack of operational detail has fueled speculation and concern, particularly in Sokoto State, where at least one of the strikes reportedly landed near a civilian settlement.
Strike Location: Joba Village, Tambuwal LGA
Local accounts indicate that one missile struck near Jabo village, close to Jabo town, in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, approximately 58 kilometers south of Sokoto metropolis.
Residents said the explosion occurred in the early hours, sending shockwaves through the rural community.
“There was a loud explosion, and people ran out of their houses in fear,” said Malam Sadiq Lawal, a farmer in Joba. “But nobody was killed, and no house collapsed. Later we saw a crater outside the village.”
No Casualties Confirmed by Locals and Journalists
Multiple residents and journalists who independently visited the scene confirmed that no casualties were recorded.
“I went to the exact spot where the bomb landed,” said Abdulrahman Bello, a Sokoto-based journalist. “There were no bodies, no injured persons, and no signs of civilians being harmed — just a clear impact point.”
Other reporters corroborated Bello’s account, stating that no medical facilities in Tambuwal or Sokoto metropolis received victims linked to the strike.
Wake Up Call or Faulty Intelligence?
Responses from newspapers loyal to the Tinubu-led government charged that the cruise missiles targeted the wrong locations.
Another view was that strikes likely were a “Wake-up Call” to Nigerian authorities who have turned a blind eye to wholesale massacres of unarmed Christians for years, according to TruthNigeria reporting.
“The strikes show the U.S. has the capability to strike anywhere in Northern Nigeria. It was a wake-up call,” Otto said.
The fact is the missiles didn’t target the group known to be the killer of most Christians who die for their faith every year, the Fulani ethnic militia, according to Judd Saul, founder of TruthNigeria.com.
“We are waiting to see if this is just about ISIS (Islamic State of West Africa or Boko Haram) or if this is going to kill the terrorists who are actually killing the Christians in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, which would be the Fulani ethnic militia,” Saul said to TruthNigeria.
Community Describes Area as Terror-Free
Residents were unanimous in describing Joba and surrounding communities as among the safest rural districts in Sokoto State, with no known history of terrorist camps, ISIS affiliates, or bandit enclaves.
“This area is peaceful. We don’t have Boko Haram, ISIS, or kidnappers operating here,” said Hassan Mohammed, a local youth leader. “That is why people are confused about what target was hit.”
No arms caches, militant hideouts, or arrests have been publicly linked to the strike, deepening uncertainty over the intelligence that led to the bombing.
Unanswered Questions Over Targets
Despite official references to “terrorist targets,” several questions remain unresolved:
Did the strike hit ISIS-linked fighters, as some speculate?
Was it another armed group or bandit-kidnap syndicate?
Were there innocent victims whose deaths have not yet been acknowledged?
Was the intelligence flawed or outdated?
Security analysts warn that the absence of transparency risks eroding public trust and could inflame local resentment.
Concerns Over Blowback and Radical Retaliation
“The airstrike has raised fears that U.S. involvement could attract retaliatory attacks by Islamist extremist groups, potentially expanding Nigeria’s security crisis rather than containing it,” said Dr. Sanda Audu, a security analyst to TruthNigeria from Abuja, Friday.
The Analyst notes that foreign military intervention, particularly in areas previously untouched by terror violence, can alter threat dynamics and provoke radical propaganda narratives.
Sheikh Gumi: Support for Fighting Terror, Rejection of U.S. Role
Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi weighed in with a strongly worded statement, affirming that fighting terrorists is legitimate within Islam but condemning U.S. involvement.
“Annihilating terrorists is an Islamic obligation,” Gumi said, citing prophetic traditions. “But it must be done by clean hands, not by another terrorist whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent people.”
Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a battleground for foreign powers is a strategic and moral error.
“No nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. The U.S. involvement will attract real anti-U.S. forces and turn Nigeria into a battlefield.”
He also urged affected communities to document any harm caused by the strikes.
“All villages affected should upload videos and pictures of any casualties involved,” Gumi said, stressing that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism without serious ground operations.
Community Left with Fear — and Questions
Back in Jabo village, residents say they are grateful no lives were lost but remain unsettled.
“If there was danger here, we would know,” Malam Lawal said quietly. “We just want the truth — and peace.”
As official silence continues over the exact targets and intelligence behind the strike, concerns persist over possible blowback and whether Nigeria risks trading one security challenge for a far more complex one.
Lika Binniyat writes for TruthNigeria from Kaduna.
