US Strikes Nigeria From Ghana? –Minority Demands Answers

The Minority in Parliament has called on the government to provide urgent clarification over claims that Ghana’s territory was used by the United States to launch airstrikes against ISIS targets in northern Nigeria.

The issue was raised by the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, who said the alleged development raises serious concerns about Ghana’s foreign policy posture and national security.

Speaking to journalists at Parliament House yesterday, Samuel Abu Jinapor said the Minority was responding to remarks reportedly made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during a panel discussion at Chatham House in London.

According to the Minority, the Foreign Affairs Minister suggested during the discussion that Ghana cooperated with the United States Government in December 2025 by allowing its territory to be used as a base for airstrikes targeting the extremist group, Islamic State (ISIS), in northern Nigeria.

Samuel Abu Jinapor said Members of Parliament and the Ghanaian public first became aware of the alleged arrangement through the minister’s comments abroad, a development he said raises questions about transparency and accountability.

“This is a matter of grave national concern with far-reaching implications for the foreign policy position of our country and the national security of Ghana,” he stated.

He further questioned the legal and policy framework under which such a military operation could have been conducted from Ghanaian territory.

According to him, the Minority wants to know whether there exists any formal agreement between Ghana and the United States that authorise the use of Ghana’s territory to launch military attacks against targets in another country.

Mr. Samuel Jinapor noted that under Ghana’s Constitution, international agreements of that nature must receive parliamentary approval before they can take effect.

“If there was any such agreement, why has the government not brought it before Parliament for ratification or otherwise?” he asked.

The Minority also expressed concern about the potential security implications of the alleged collaboration.

The former Lands minister warned that permitting Ghana to be used as a base for military action against terrorist groups could expose the country to possible retaliatory attacks.

“Does Ghana become a target for ISIS or other terrorist organisations? What measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of our citizens?” he queried.

Adding his voice to the concerns, former Defence Minister and Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, said previous defence cooperation agreements between Ghana and the United States did not authorise the use of Ghanaian territory as a launch pad for military strikes against other countries.

He explained that earlier agreements, including the United States–Ghana Defence Cooperation Agreement governing the presence of U.S. forces in Ghana, did not permit such operations.

“In all these agreements, at no point was the United States or any other country allowed to use the territory of Ghana as a launch pad to attack any individual, nation, group or organisation,” he said.

Mr. Dominic Nitiwul added that even the deployment of armed military aircraft in Ghana would require explicit authorisation from the government.

He cautioned that if the alleged arrangement was carried out without a formal agreement, it could place Ghana at risk, particularly at a time when extremist groups remain active across several countries in West Africa.

The former Defence Minister pointed out that terrorist organisations currently operate in parts of Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo, making it important for Ghana to avoid actions that could attract the attention of such groups.

The Minority is, therefore, demanding that the Foreign Affairs Minister appear before Parliament to brief the House on the circumstances surrounding the reported collaboration with the United States.

They also want assurances from the government that Ghana has not been unnecessarily exposed to security threats as a result of the alleged military operation.

 

 

 

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