Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has defended Nigeria’s decision to accept military assistance from the United States in the fight against terrorism, saying no responsible government would reject such support.
Keyamo made the remarks in a post on X while responding to public debate surrounding the Christmas Day airstrikes carried out in parts of Sokoto State.
According to the minister, turning down help from a country willing and able to assist Nigeria in tackling terrorism would be irrational.
“When your house is on fire, it would be stupid to prevent anyone who has fire extinguishers from coming into your house to put out the fire,” Keyamo said.
He added that concerns about privacy or sovereignty should not outweigh the urgent need to protect lives, especially as terrorism continues to threaten communities in northern Nigeria.
Keyamo urged Nigerians to focus on the broader goal of restoring peace and security, rather than criticising efforts aimed at eliminating terrorist groups.
CREEBHILLS had earlier reported that the United States confirmed it carried out airstrikes targeting ISIS-affiliated terrorists in Nigeria. Former U.S. President Donald Trump also claimed the operation was successful and struck designated targets.
