Sat Dec 27 17:31:30 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
US Strikes in Nigeria Risk Fueling Conflict, Experts Warn
Sokoto, Nigeria – Recent U.S. airstrikes targeting alleged ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria are being criticized as a misguided approach that could exacerbate the country’s complex security challenges. While the strikes, touted by some as a decisive counter-terrorism measure, may resonate with a domestic audience in the U.S., analysts warn they risk inflaming tensions and failing to address the underlying causes of violence in the region.
The strikes, conducted on Christmas Day in the Sokoto region, targeted what the U.S. claimed were ISIL-linked groups. However, experts like Femi Owolade, a legal historian and Research Associate at Sheffield Hallam University, argue that the violence in the northwest is primarily driven by banditry, economic hardship, and land disputes, not a strong ISIL presence.
“The first problem with the strikes is their lack of strategic logic,” Owolade stated. “Security concerns in this region are rooted in banditry, the collapse of rural economies, and competition for land. Armed groups here are fragmented and motivated largely by profit.”
Moreover, the timing and location of the strikes have raised concerns. The choice to strike on Christmas Day and in Sokoto, a historically significant Islamic center, risks being interpreted as an attack on the Muslim community, potentially fueling anti-U.S. sentiment and bolstering extremist narratives.
The lack of transparency surrounding casualties has further fueled mistrust, with unverified reports circulating of civilian deaths.
Instead of military intervention, experts advocate for a multi-layered approach that addresses the root causes of instability. This includes investing in community-based policing, fostering dialogue, creating pathways for deradicalization, and strengthening local governance to provide security and essential services.
“Nigerians do not need the US to bomb their country into security and stability,” Owolade said. “They need localised long-term support to rebuild trust, restore livelihoods, and strengthen state institutions.”
The U.S. government has yet to comment on the criticisms of the strikes.
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