Nigeria’s human rights groups condemn US actions in Venezuela

Human rights advocates, workers’ organisations and solidarity groups in Nigeria have condemned what they described as reported United States air strikes on Venezuelan territory, warning that the action threatens international law, violates state sovereignty and raises urgent concerns over the safety and whereabouts of Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro.

In a statement issued on Friday under the aegis of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in Nigeria (VSCN), the groups expressed “the strongest possible” condemnation of the alleged attacks on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, describing them as an act of external aggression against a sovereign nation.

The coalition said the reported strikes, coupled with the “alarming uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts and safety of President Nicolás Maduro,” highlight what it described as the “reckless and lawless nature” of military action against an independent state.

According to the group, the use of force against a country and its leadership “is not diplomacy,” warning that such actions undermine peace and global stability rather than promote democratic values. It rejected attempts to frame the situation in Venezuela as a struggle for democracy or human rights, arguing instead that the crisis is rooted in the pursuit of strategic resources and geopolitical control.

“This attack is not about ‘democracy’ or ‘human rights’,” the statement said, noting that history has shown that foreign military interventions; from the Middle East to parts of Africa and Latin America, often result in “death, destruction, chaos, and permanent instability.”

Drawing parallels with Africa’s own historical experiences, the Nigerian groups said they recognised familiar patterns of foreign interference “disguised as humanitarian intervention,” recalling the continent’s long history of colonial domination, proxy wars and external manipulation.

“We therefore stand firmly with the people of Venezuela and their right to self-determination, sovereignty, and resistance,” the coalition declared.

The statement was endorsed by leaders of human rights, labour and civil society organisations in Nigeria. Among them are Gerald O. Katchy, National Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights; Dimeji Macaulay, Coordinator of the Anti-Fascist Movement; Blessing Yusuf, FCT Chairperson of the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON); and Abiodun Emmanuel Fayemi, Head of the African Farmers and Agricultural Practitioners (AFAP).

Furthermore, the coalition outlined a number of demands, including “an immediate halt to all U.S. military attacks and threats against Venezuela,” as well as “full and transparent information on the safety and whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro.” It also called for “the lifting of all illegal sanctions and economic warfare imposed on the Venezuelan people” and demanded accountability for “violations of international law and crimes against humanity committed through military aggression.”

Emphasising that Venezuela’s destiny should remain solely in the hands of its people, the group said the country’s future “must be determined by Venezuelans alone: free from bombs, sanctions, threats, and coercion.”

Beyond Venezuela, the VSCN urged broader international engagement, calling on the Nigerian government, the African Union and other governments in the Global South to “break their silence and openly oppose” what it described as external aggression. It warned that silence in the face of such actions could amount to complicity.

The statement also appealed to civil society organisations worldwide, urging “workers, students, trade unions, youth movements, and progressive forces across Africa and the world to rise in solidarity with Venezuela,” describing the situation as part of a wider global struggle against domination and exploitation.