The US, on Saturday, launched a military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were later indicted in New York, with Maduro pleading not guilty.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government over Nigeria’s silence following recent developments in Venezuela, describing the lack of an official position as embarrassing and unworthy of the country’s status as a leading African nation.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed the party’s concerns during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television on Tuesday.

According to Abdullahi, Nigeria has lost its standing as a principled voice in Africa and West Africa under the current administration, at a time when the crisis in Venezuela represents a defining moment with far-reaching consequences for the global order.

“Let’s put politics aside. As citizens, we feel embarrassed that all these things are happening, and Nigeria has no voice in it. What can objectively be seen today is that under this current administration, Nigeria has lost its stand as a leading voice on the African continent, as a matter of fact, as a leading voice in this West African sub-region.

“What happened last Saturday is a defining moment in international politics, one that has serious implications for the global world order, perhaps since the Second World War,” he said.

Bolaji Abdullahi and President Bola Tinubu

Recalling Nigeria’s historical role in global diplomacy, Abdullahi said the country had previously taken clear and courageous positions on major international issues.

“This is Nigeria that we are talking about. This is the Nigeria of Jaja Wachuku. This is the Nigeria of Joseph Garba. This is the Nigeria where Nigerian leaders stood on the world stage and took clear positions on issues,” he said.

He noted that several countries within the West African sub-region had already expressed positions on the crisis, whether in support of or in opposition to the developments in Venezuela, but Nigeria had remained conspicuously silent.

“It doesn’t matter whether Nigeria sees it differently or agrees with what others are saying. What we have seen is that Nigeria is nowhere to be found. Nigeria has not said anything. If that does not embarrass you as a citizen, it embarrasses us.

“The diminution of Nigeria on the international stage is an anomaly. It is an embarrassment. It is not befitting of a country like ours that should ordinarily be a leader on the African continent,” he said.

The ADC chieftain also questioned the President’s silence on the matter, criticising the State House for announcing the President’s foreign trip without clarity.

President Bola Tinubu and US President Trump

Abdullahi further linked Nigeria’s position to its earlier security decisions, referencing an invitation to US forces to conduct military operations in Nigeria in December 2025.

“By inviting a foreign army to invade your country for whatever reason or to drop bombs, you have already rendered yourself vulnerable. Perhaps this is the reason they are not able to say anything.

“The only explanation for Nigeria’s embarrassing silence at this time is that our government does not have the self-confidence to say anything. It can sense its own vulnerability and therefore does not have the moral courage,” he said.

US Attack On Venezuela

Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

On January 3, 2026, the United States launched a large-scale military operation in Venezuela, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

The operation reportedly involved coordinated airstrikes and ground raids across several Venezuelan states, including Caracas, Miranda, La Guaira and Aragua.

Maduro and Flores were apprehended during a predawn raid at his residence in Fort Tiuna.

This screengrab taken from the X account of Rapid Response 47, the official White House rapid response account, shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (C) escorted by DEA agents inside the headquarters of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in lower Manhattan, New York, on January 3, 2026.

Following their transfer to New York, both were indicted on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking offences.

Maduro pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Monday, January 5, describing himself as a “prisoner of war”.

Protesters with flags and and a banner march during a demonstration condemning the US attack on Venezuela and the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, near the US embassy in Manila on January 5, 2026. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

The operation has drawn widespread international condemnation, with the United Nations, China, Russia, Mexico and Spain criticising the action as a violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty.

Despite reactions from several countries, Nigeria has yet to issue an official statement on the developments.