Army Chief Pays Courtesy Visit to Sultan Following US Air Strikes

Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, has visited the Sultan of Sokoto at the monarch’s palace in Sokoto State, underscoring efforts to engage traditional leadership amid heightened security operations in the region following recent joint counterterrorism airstrikes by the United States and Nigerian forces.

The courtesy visit on Friday brought the military’s top officer to the seat of the Sokoto Caliphate, reflecting a broader effort to reinforce relationships with community and religious leaders as authorities pursue strategies to address persistent insecurity in the north-west.

The meeting took place days after coordinated air operations targeted extremist elements in Sokoto, a development that drew national and international attention and sparked debate over security cooperation and civilian safety.

The airstrikes, carried out on December 25, were described by the Federal Government and U.S. officials as precision operations against Islamist militants linked to transnational networks operating in forested enclaves of Sokoto State, with coordination and intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies.

Lieutenant-General Shaibu’s visit to Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III, a prominent traditional and religious leader in northern Nigeria, was reported to be part of efforts to update the monarch on security developments in the region and to seek his counsel and support for continued collaboration between military forces and local communities in restoring stability.

Traditional rulers such as the Sultan of Sokoto often play an influential role in mediating local responses to security operations, facilitating community cooperation with authorities and promoting information sharing that can help temper fear and confusion, particularly after incidents involving aerial strikes or ground offensives.