PDP chieftain Jaffar Bello criticises Nigeria’s First Lady Remi Tinubu for advocating US air strikes in Northern Nigeria amid human rights bill debate

Kano State chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Jaffar Bello, has criticised Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, for calling for US air strikes in Northern Nigeria.

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Speaking on Trust TV, Jaffar Bello highlighted what he described as a regional bias in the call, noting that the First Lady did not advocate similar measures in the Southeast, where secessionist agitation persists. “She specifically stated the northern part of the country. She didn’t call for strikes in the Southeastern part of the country that are suffering from IPOB and sit-at-home issues,” Bello said.

Bello’s comments come amid discussions of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, a US congressional bill that includes potential sanctions against Fulani militias and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

He drew parallels to US military action in other nations over the past two decades. “Wherever America in the past 20 years has conducted war, it’s in Islamic countries from Somalia to Yemen to Iraq and recently Iran,” Bello stated.

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The remarks have sparked debate over the role of international influence in Nigeria’s internal security and the regional implications of foreign interventions, with opposition figures warning of the political and social risks of selective targeting.