Nigerian experts condemn U.S. military action in Venezuela
A group of Nigerian foreign policy specialists has strongly criticized the United States’ recent military strike in Venezuela and the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, describing the move as a dangerous precedent for international relations and global peace.
At a special roundtable hosted by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Abuja on Tuesday, academics, former diplomats and policy analysts voiced deep concerns about what they see as a troubling shift in global power dynamics.
Speaking at the event titled “Matter Arising from U.S. Interventions in Venezuela,” participants including Professors Eghosa Osaghae and Bolaji Akinyemi, and international policy commentators argued that the U.S. operation signaled a return to a “might makes right” approach in world affairs. They warned this could embolden other powerful nations, including China and Russia, to undertake similar interventions in the future.
Prof. Osaghae emphasized that even distant countries in the global South should be alert to the implications of such actions and reaffirm the need to uphold international law, sovereignty and non-interference.
Former Nigerian diplomat Ambassador Joe Keshi criticized what he described as U.S. double standards, arguing that Washington, once a proponent of international norms, now appears willing to override them for geopolitical aims. He stressed the importance of collective capacity building among nations to deter unilateral interventions.
Other speakers at the forum, including Prof. Adele Jinadu and Femi Otubanjo, framed the U.S. action as an “arrogance of power” and a sign of irrational foreign policy driven by domestic political considerations and strategic interests, particularly oil.
International policy expert Femi Ojumu added that the operation undermined established global norms and urged reform of international institutions like the United Nations to better safeguard sovereignty and promote transparent, multilateral conflict resolution.
At the same event, foreign policy analyst Kayode Komolafe argued that the U.S. move reflected deeper capitalist and resource-control motives, warning that unchecked military interventions threaten long-term global stability.
Meanwhile, Dr. Rita Agu of the NIIA labeled the actions unlawful under international law, calling for strict adherence to the UN Charter and peaceful diplomatic solutions as the only sustainable way forward.