Human rights lawyer and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has questioned the Federal Government’s silence following confirmation by the United States of the presence of Islamic State (ISIS) elements in Nigeria’s Northwest.
Odinkalu raised the concern after the U.S. announced airstrikes on ISIS targets in the region, reportedly carried out in cooperation with Nigerian security agencies. He noted that for years, the Federal Government had described armed groups in the Northwest as bandits, not terrorists, and said the recent development suggests a significant shift in the official narrative.
According to him, Nigeria’s involvement in intelligence sharing for the U.S. operation amounts to an acknowledgment that organised terrorist groups are operating in the region. He queried when the government became aware of ISIS activities in the Northwest and why the public had not been informed earlier.
Odinkalu called for transparency from the Federal Government, warning that the evolving security situation has serious implications for national security policy and public accountability.
