***Says Nigeria is not a US Colony
Senator representing Bauchi Central Abdul Ningi has warned that Nigeria risks surrendering its sovereignty if it normalises foreign military operations carried out on its territory without the knowledge and oversight of the National Assembly.
Raising the issue under Order 9 of the Senate Standing Orders, the lawmaker said the reported United States strike against bandits inside Nigeria goes beyond counterterrorism insistrng that ittouches the “very soul of the Nigerian state.”
“The most fundamental issue is that the sovereignty of our country has been violated. Our skies have been violated, and that should never be normalized or rationalized,” he said while addressing journalists after plenary.
The senator stressed that his intervention was not driven by sympathy for terrorists or criminal groups.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I hate these bandits, and I want them dealt with wherever they are found,” he said. “But two wrongs don’t make a right.”
According to him, neither the President nor any arm of government has the constitutional authority to permit foreign powers to conduct military strikes within Nigeria without legislative involvement.
“The Constitution places on the President the responsibility to protect our territorial integrity. But even the President, under this Constitution, cannot — and I repeat — shall not — direct a foreign power to hit Nigeria from their bases,” he stated.
He described Nigeria as a sovereign nation, not a dependent state.
“We are not a colony of the United States of America. We are Nigeria — an independent country with defined territory,” he said.
The senator expressed concern that the National Assembly was neither briefed before nor after the operation, despite being a co-equal arm of government.
“This is co-governance, co-responsibility, and co-accountability. Democracy exists because of the National Assembly. If such a serious security decision is taken and the legislature is ignored, then something is fundamentally wrong,” he argued.
He warned that accepting such actions without objection could expose Nigeria to future violations by other global powers.
“What happens tomorrow if Nigeria takes a stand against the interests of the United States, Russia, China, or France, and they decide to hit us? We have opened a very dangerous precedent,” he said.
Citing international law, the senator noted that the alleged strike also raises concerns under global conventions.
“You can read the United Nations Charter. No country is allowed to breach the airspace of another sovereign nation without due process. The way and manner this was done is a clear breach,” he said.
speaking to newsmen after plenary he reacted to comments by the Senate President who commended U.S.–Nigeria military collaboration, the senator clarified that he supports international cooperation — but only within constitutional and legal limits.
“I also commend collaboration,” he said. “But collaboration must follow due process. It must take place inside Nigeria, with Nigerian forces fully involved.”
He cautioned that bypassing transparency sends a troubling message to citizens.
“If you don’t inform Nigerians and their representatives, you are telling them this is normal. You are questioning the capacity of our armed forces and creating mistrust in government,” he said.
The senator rejected suggestions that his stance undermines the fight against insecurity, sharing a personal account to underline his position.
“I am a victim of Boko Haram. My maternal uncle, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, was killed on his farm in Kano three months after retirement,” he said. “Nobody is responsible for his family today. So I have no sympathy for these bandits — anywhere they are.”
He added that his legislative record reflects consistent advocacy against violence across the country, including attacks in Plateau, Kaduna, and Makurdi.
On the way forward, the senator urged the Senate to assert its constitutional role.
“The Senate President must be briefed on all security arrangements,” he said. “When I was House Leader between 2003 and 2007, the National Security Adviser briefed the Speaker weekly. Did we have insecurity then at this scale? No.”
He stressed that the legislature controls security funding and cannot be treated as an afterthought.
“We approve the funds. We are accountable to our constituents who are being killed daily. If the executive refuses to talk, who should talk if not us?” he asked.
While acknowledging the pressure on the President, the senator maintained that leadership must remain firm and constitutional.
“I truly sympathize with him. But he is the President, and he must govern this country. We must not allow others to govern Nigeria for him,” he concluded.
