By Chimezie Godfrey
The Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA) has faulted the recent United States airstrike targeting terrorist elements in north-western Nigeria, arguing that the operation neither addresses the root causes of insecurity nor threatens the political and economic elite it accuses of benefiting from prolonged violence.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Aj. Dagga Tolar, the group said the Christmas Day strike, reportedly ordered by former US President Donald Trump, exposed what it described as the Nigerian government’s “bankruptcy and inability” to secure the country.
“The Tinubu administration has vast financial and military resources at its disposal, yet it has failed over time to decisively end banditry and terrorism within Nigeria’s borders,” Tolar said.
The group criticised claims by the Federal Government that the strike was a joint operation, noting that public statements from the United States suggested unilateral action. According to MSA, this development raises concerns about Nigeria’s sovereignty and growing external dependence.
Citing figures from the Nigerian Security Tracker and Beacon Consulting, the organisation said tens of thousands of Nigerians have been killed or abducted over the past decade, despite massive security spending by successive administrations.
MSA also questioned the government’s handling of recent mass abductions, including the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, alleging negligence and lack of transparency surrounding troop deployment prior to the incident.
“The refusal of the ruling elite to confront corruption and inequality means insecurity is treated as a business opportunity rather than a national emergency,” Tolar stated.
The group maintained that terrorism cannot be defeated solely through military force, insisting that poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion must be addressed.
It called on Nigerian workers to organise politically, arguing that only a working-class-led political alternative and a planned economy under democratic control can bring lasting security and development.