Where Is Tinubu? Amnesty International, Civil Society Groups Slam Nigerian President Over Silence, Sovereignty Concerns After U.S. Christmas Day Airstrikes

Amnesty International Nigeria and a broad coalition of civil society organisations have strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his silence following U.S. airstrikes carried out on Nigerian soil on Christmas Day. In a joint statement titled “Where Is the President?”, the groups accused Tinubu of abdicating his constitutional role as Commander-in-Chief, raising serious concerns about national sovereignty, civilian protection, transparency, and democratic oversight. They questioned the legal basis of the strikes, the absence of clear civilian harm mitigation measures, and the silence of the President, Service Chiefs, and National Assembly, warning that continued opacity could deepen public mistrust, escalate communal tensions, and undermine Nigeria’s constitutional order.