Yoruba group backs US-Nigeria military strikes, recommends cooperation with Russia, Israel

By : Olayide Soaga

Date: 28 December 2025 10:44am WAT

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Composite picture of US President Donald Trump and Nigeria's Bola Tinubu

Composite picture of US President Donald Trump and Nigeria's Bola Tinubu

The Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) has endorsed the recent joint military operation between Nigeria and the United States in Sokoto State, urging Southwest governors to prepare for potential retaliatory attacks by terrorist elements.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the group described the strikes on terrorist hideouts as a necessary measure to address rising extremism.

“The joint strike between Nigeria and the United States represents a present and consistent threat to Islamic fundamentalism in Nigeria. We welcome the attacks on terrorists who are determined to take over the Nigerian space. The attack has shown that Nigeria is building effective partnerships across the world to reclaim the lost sovereignty of the country,” the statement said.

Signed by AYDM General Secretary Popoola Ajayi and Rasaq Arogundade, the statement pointed out the need for heightened vigilance in other regions, particularly the Southwest.

“Southwest governors must prepare for terrorists’ operations and possible attacks on the region, as the terrorists would wish to fight back, targeting the home base of the President and also foreign economic interests, of which Lagos and the Southwest are chief hosts,” the group warned.

While acknowledging the strikes as a bold step, the AYDM argued that military action alone would not resolve underlying socio-political tensions. The group called on the President and National Assembly to pursue decentralisation and ethnic self-determination. “It is time to restructure Nigeria so that those who believe in a theocratic state and those who cherish democracy should have their own sovereign republics. There is no country that can fight terrorism alone without sharing intelligence and operations with allies,” the statement added.

The coalition also alleged that terrorism in Nigeria has been exploited as a political tool, claiming that influential sponsors use violence to destabilise the country.

It recommended that the Tinubu administration broaden its international security collaborations beyond the United States to include countries such as Russia and Israel.

“Nigeria needs as many countries as possible—as many friends that are necessary to defeat terror. The Nigerian authority should also seek collaboration with Russia and Israel, some of the few countries that give unconditional support to Africa’s strive for freedom. We wish to see the Nigerian anti-terrorism framework extended to Russia, given their progressive role in counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel,” the statement said.

The AYDM further said that the increased level of international involvement could diminish the operational capacity of terrorist groups, provided the government maintains both strategic alliances and internal reforms. The joint operation follows a November 2025 ultimatum from US President Donald Trump, citing attacks on Christians in Nigeria, with the Nigerian Foreign Ministry framing the action as a coordinated effort to reclaim national sovereignty from extremist actors.

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