Onoh faults NYT report on U.S. airstrikes, cites longstanding security intelligence

By Denise Agbo

ABUJA — A former South-East spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has criticised a recent New York Times publication linking U.S. airstrikes in Nigeria to the work of a single Nigerian civil society activist, describing the report as misleading and lacking proper context.

In a statement made available to journalists on Monday in Abuja, Onoh, who is also Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, said the article, published on January 18, 2026, oversimplified the factors that informed the U.S. military action and risked creating unnecessary tensions within Nigeria.

The New York Times report, titled “The Screwdriver Salesman Behind Trump’s Airstrikes in Nigeria,” suggested that the strikes were significantly influenced by the work of Emeka Umeagbalasi, founder of the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety).

Onoh argued that portraying the airstrikes as the outcome of a single individual’s research ignored years of security assessments, intelligence gathering, and international engagement on Nigeria’s security challenges.

According to him, the U.S. airstrikes carried out by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in coordination with Nigerian authorities were based on extensive intelligence from multiple sources, including international organisations, security agencies, and policy institutions, rather than the work of one civil society group.

“The suggestion that a complex military operation was driven by the research of one individual does not reflect how modern security and intelligence systems function,” Onoh said.

He noted that concerns about violent extremism and insecurity in parts of Nigeria had been documented for over a decade by several international bodies, including Amnesty International, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and other global human rights and conflict-monitoring organisations.

Onoh referenced USCIRF reports that have, since 2009, raised concerns about religious freedom violations in Nigeria, as well as publications by advocacy groups highlighting the impact of insurgency, banditry, and communal violence across the country.

He also pointed out that Nigerian religious leaders, civil society actors, and political figures have consistently raised alarms over insecurity, particularly in the North-East, North-West, and parts of the Middle Belt, long before the recent airstrikes.

According to Onoh, international cooperation in counter-terrorism, including intelligence sharing and joint security operations, is a recognised part of Nigeria’s security strategy and has been acknowledged by Nigerian officials.

He cited statements by the Federal Government confirming collaboration with foreign partners in addressing terrorism and other transnational security threats.

Onoh cautioned against narratives that could deepen regional or ethnic divisions, stressing the need for responsible reporting on sensitive national security matters.

He called on the media to provide balanced coverage that reflects the complexity of security decision-making processes and avoids framing that could be misinterpreted by the public.

“Nigeria’s security challenges require collective understanding, factual reporting, and careful analysis,” he said, urging Nigerians to focus on unity and constructive dialogue in addressing insecurity.

The post Onoh faults NYT report on U.S. airstrikes, cites longstanding security intelligence appeared first on Vanguard News.