Venezuela: Nigeria’s Silence Is Embarrassing, Not Befitting As Africa’s Leader - ADC

Special Report: Venezuela Crisis and Nigeria’s Silence - ADC’s Rebuke

In the wake of the United States’ dramatic military operation in Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply criticized Nigeria’s failure to issue an official response.

The operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, involved coordinated airstrikes and ground raids across several Venezuelan states, culminating in Maduro’s arrest at Fort Tiuna in Caracas. Both Maduro and Flores were subsequently transferred to New York, indicted on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking, with Maduro pleading not guilty and describing himself as a “prisoner of war.”

The ADC, through its National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, condemned Nigeria’s silence as “embarrassing” and “unbefitting” of a nation that has historically played a leading role in African and global diplomacy.

Abdullahi argued that Nigeria’s lack of a clear stance on the Venezuelan crisis reflects a troubling decline in its moral authority and influence within West Africa and the wider international community. He recalled Nigeria’s past diplomatic legacy under figures such as Jaja Wachuku and Joseph Garba, when the country boldly took principled positions on global issues.

According to Abdullahi, Nigeria’s absence from the international discourse surrounding Venezuela is particularly glaring given that several West African nations have already expressed their positions, whether in support of or opposition to the U.S. intervention. He stressed that Nigeria’s silence diminishes its stature as Africa’s natural leader and undermines its credibility on the world stage.

The ADC spokesperson linked this silence to Nigeria’s earlier controversial decision in December 2025 to invite U.S. forces to conduct military operations within its borders. 

Abdullahi suggested that such actions may have compromised Nigeria’s ability to speak confidently on matters of sovereignty and international law, leaving the government vulnerable and hesitant to comment on Venezuela.

Internationally, the U.S. operation has drawn widespread condemnation. The United Nations, China, Russia, Mexico, and Spain have criticized the intervention as a violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty.

Protests have erupted in several countries, including the Philippines, where demonstrators condemned the seizure of Maduro. Despite this global uproar, Nigeria has remained conspicuously silent, a stance the ADC insists is unbecoming of a nation that once prided itself on being the “giant of Africa.”

This silence, Abdullahi concluded, is not just a diplomatic lapse but a national embarrassment. For him and the ADC, Nigeria’s failure to articulate a position on Venezuela symbolizes a deeper erosion of confidence and leadership under the current administration, raising questions about the country’s role in shaping the future of Africa and its place in the global order.