The Senate has scheduled an executive (closed-door) briefing on the December 25, 2025 U.S. air strikes that hit terrorist targets in Sokoto State, following objections by Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) who argued the operation raised questions of territorial integrity and legislative oversight.
Ningi raised the matter during plenary under parliamentary privilege, faulting what he described as the exclusion of the National Assembly from discussions preceding the Sokoto operation. He warned that allowing the executive branch to approve foreign military action without lawmakers being briefed could set a precedent for future interventions.
In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said Senate leadership had already arranged to brief lawmakers privately, stressing that the issue is a sensitive security matter not suited for open debate. He added that the briefing was postponed after the Senate suspended legislative activities in honour of late Senator Godiya Akwashiki, who died on December 31, 2025.
The strikes themselves drew international attention because they were publicly framed as a joint operation. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said it conducted strikes “in coordination with Nigerian authorities” against “ISIS terrorists” in Sokoto State on Dec. 25, 2025, with an initial assessment that “multiple” militants were killed.
Reuters also reported that Nigeria described the action as a joint operation targeting terrorist-linked sites in Sokoto, while U.S. statements suggested the mission could be part of broader counter-ISIS pressure in the region.
With the Senate now moving to an executive briefing, the key questions lawmakers are expected to probe include: what formal approvals were obtained, the chain of coordination with U.S. forces, the legal basis under Nigeria’s security and foreign-engagement framework, and how civilian harm was mitigated
