The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) said the manner of approval reflects a disturbing collapse of Nigeria’s foreign policy direction. Speaking with Vanguard, CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, argued that the decision was not driven by national interest.
According to him, it is contradictory for Nigeria to resist foreign military involvement on its soil yet deploy soldiers to another nation without proper consultation or debate. He also noted that troops were reportedly sent out before the National Assembly granted official approval.
Rafsanjani compared previous military interventions in Sierra Leone and Liberia, explaining that those operations were coordinated under ECOWAS and followed due diplomatic processes. The current situation, he said, falls short of such standards.
Similarly, Global Rights Nigeria faulted the Senate’s rapid approval of the deployment, saying it raises critical questions about oversight, national security priorities, and transparency.
The group’s Executive Director, Abiodun Bayeiwu, warned that Nigeria should not commit troops abroad when it continues to struggle with widespread insecurity, including banditry, terrorism, farmer–herder clashes, and violent crime.
Bayeiwu stressed that any foreign deployment must align with national interest, regional stability, and legal frameworks—not political optics.
She noted that in a democracy, sending troops outside national borders requires thorough debate and clear justification. The Senate’s swift approval, she said, risks eroding public trust and undermining checks and balances.
Global Rights further called on the government to disclose the mandate, duration, risks, financial cost, and impact of the deployment on domestic security operations. They urged the Presidency and Senate to offer full transparency.
Bayeiwu advised the government to prioritise Nigeria’s internal security, strengthen diplomatic efforts within ECOWAS, and ensure that military deployment remains a last resort.
