The Big Tent Coalition, led by Pat Utomi, has condemned what it described as glaring hypocrisy, incoherence and a dangerous reliance on propaganda by the Federal Government in its handling of recent United States airstrikes against ISIS-linked terrorists in North-West Nigeria.
The coalition said it is now on record that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, working in collaboration with the United States, carried out precision strikes on identified ISIS-linked elements in Sokoto State. The operation was officially acknowledged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nearly 24 hours after it took place.
According to the group, the development exposes a staggering contradiction in the posture of the Tinubu administration. It recalled that barely a month ago, 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 contributed to improving Nigeria’s security situation.
At the time, Onanuga reportedly warned that Nigerians would “never forget nor forgive” Obi for allegedly endorsing foreign intervention. However, the coalition noted that the same administration has now endorsed and confirmed actual foreign military action on Nigerian soil.
Reacting to the situation, the Director of Media and Communication of the Big Tent Coalition, Charles Odibo, said the government’s conduct amounted to hypocrisy and reckless communication capable of endangering Nigerian lives.
“You cannot demonise a citizen for expressing a conditional and patriotic policy opinion, only to turn around and implement that same option in reality. This kind of flip-flop shows a government that lacks clarity, coordination and credibility in matters of national security,” Odibo said.
He added that the administration owed Peter Obi an immediate and unreserved apology, stressing that propaganda-driven attacks and inconsistent messaging weaken public trust and expose the country to unnecessary risks.
Beyond the demand for an apology, the coalition expressed deep concern over what it described as the Federal Government’s delayed, disorganised and confusing communication on an issue as serious as foreign military operations within Nigeria’s territory.
The group noted that while U.S. President Donald Trump announced the airstrikes publicly, Nigerians were left in the dark, relying on fragmented and delayed confirmations from different government officials almost a day later.
According to Odibo, this raises serious questions about leadership, transparency and the proper management of Nigeria’s sovereignty. He questioned why the Presidency remained silent if the strikes were part of a structured security cooperation agreement, why Nigerians were exposed to conflicting narratives, and why a presidential spokesperson rushed to politicise what the coalition described as a patriotic comment.
“The security of Nigeria is too serious to be reduced to propaganda, knee-jerk reactions and political posturing. Leadership demands consistency, humility and honesty,” the coalition said.
The Big Tent Coalition therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to direct his spokesperson to formally apologise to Peter Obi, enforce discipline and coherence in government communication on national security matters, and personally address Nigerians on the nature, scope and rules guiding foreign security cooperation in the country.
