Ambassador-designate Femi Fani-Kayode has dismissed claims that recent United States airstrikes in parts of Sokoto State were carried out based on intelligence supplied by a civilian source.

Reacting to a report published by The New York Times, Fani-Kayode described the claim as false and misleading, insisting that such a military operation could not have been executed without formal intelligence collaboration between the United States and Nigerian security agencies.

In a post on X, he argued that it was implausible for the U.S. government to rely on information from a private individual using online mapping tools to conduct airstrikes. According to him, the operation was based strictly on intelligence shared through official channels.

Fani-Kayode accused the newspaper of attempting to undermine the credibility of both the Nigerian and U.S. governments, as well as their intelligence capabilities. He referenced earlier clarifications by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who stated that the operation was carried out in coordination with Nigeria’s Armed Forces and intelligence services.

The former aviation minister said he personally spoke with Tuggar shortly after the airstrikes, during which the minister confirmed that the intelligence used was provided by Nigerian authorities and outlined the sequence of events that led to the operation.

He maintained that no sovereign nation would permit foreign military action within its territory without official intelligence cooperation, dismissing the report as inaccurate and unprofessional.