The Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements has thrown its weight behind the recent joint military operation conducted by Nigeria and the United States in Sokoto State, cautioning Southwest governors to brace for possible retaliatory attacks by terrorist groups.
In a statement released on Sunday, the group hailed the strikes on terrorist hideouts as a crucial response to the growing threat of extremism.
“The joint strike between Nigeria and the United States represents a present and consistent threat to Islamic fundamentalism in Nigeria. We welcome the attacks on terrorists who are determined to take over the Nigerian space. The attack has shown that Nigeria is building effective partnerships across the world to reclaim the lost sovereignty of the country,” the statement read, signed by AYDM General Secretary Popoola Ajayi and Rasaq Arogundade.
The statement also urged heightened vigilance in other parts of the country, particularly the Southwest. “Southwest governors must prepare for terrorists’ operations and possible attacks on the region, as the terrorists would wish to fight back, targeting the home base of the President and also foreign economic interests, of which Lagos and the Southwest are chief hosts,” it warned.
While describing the strikes as a bold initiative, AYDM stressed that military action alone would not resolve the nation’s deeper socio-political issues.
The group called on the President and National Assembly to pursue decentralisation and ethnic self-determination.
“It is time to restructure Nigeria so that those who believe in a theocratic state and those who cherish democracy should have their own sovereign republics. There is no country that can fight terrorism alone without sharing intelligence and operations with allies,” the coalition added.
The group further claimed that terrorism has been politicised in Nigeria, alleging that powerful sponsors exploit violence to destabilise the nation.
In a recommendation to the Tinubu administration, AYDM suggested expanding international security partnerships beyond the United States to include countries such as Russia and Israel.
“Nigeria needs as many countries as possible—as many friends that are necessary to defeat terror. The Nigerian authority should also seek collaboration with Russia and Israel, some of the few countries that give unconditional support to Africa’s strive for freedom. We wish to see the Nigerian anti-terrorism framework extended to Russia, given their progressive role in counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel,” the statement said.
AYDM concluded that enhanced international cooperation, combined with strategic internal reforms, could weaken terrorist networks’ operational capacity.
The recent military action comes after a November 2025 ultimatum from US President Donald Trump over attacks on Christians in Nigeria, with the Nigerian Foreign Ministry framing the operation as a coordinated effort to reclaim national sovereignty from extremist groups.
