By Elizabeth Osayande & Ifunanya Ndigwe

The Coalition for the Elimination of Imperialism in Africa has called on the Federal Government and other African states to sever diplomatic relations with Israel to protect continental sovereignty and end what it describes as a sophisticated security complex used for political repression.

The programme was organised to mark the International Day of Anti-Imperialist Youth in Lagos on Saturday. The speakers argued that the presence of thirteen Israeli embassies across Africa facilitates the deployment of surveillance technologies that target activists and opposition voices.

The event, which was held at the International Press Centre in Ogba, formed part of a coordinated global weekend of action spanning four continents including North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Prominent journalist and human rights activist Owei Lakemfa stated that the current security architecture in many African nations is being outsourced to foreign entities with a history of supporting oppressive regimes.

Mr Lakemfa said, “When they sell surveillance technology to African governments, it is not to protect the Nigerian worker or the African farmer. It is to protect the interests of a small, neocolonial elite against the mass of the people.”

The activist further noted that once a nation adopts these systems, it loses control over its own data and infrastructure.

Labour and development activist Hauwa Mustapha criticised the African Union for granting observer status to Israel, describing the move as a betrayal of the principles that guided the fight against South African apartheid.

Comrade Mustapha argued that the involvement of Israeli concerns in African mining and agriculture constitutes economic sabotage.

Mustapha said, “The Zionist state’s presence in Africa is deeply rooted in the exploitation of our natural resources. Their presence is not for the development of Africa but for the extraction of wealth to the benefit of the Zionist state and its imperialist allies.”

Adding to the discussion, socialist and Pan-Africanist activist Sango Omojola warned that Nigeria has become a testing ground for surveillance equipment. Omojola also addressed the influence of religious propaganda in shaping public opinion.

Mr Omojola said, “Today we are doing an international day of action against the Israeli state’s presence in Africa. We want our governments to cut relationships with Israel, similar to how the Nigerian government and others cut ties with the South African settler-colonial state during apartheid.”

Moderator and youth activist Segun Oladunni explained that the Zionist security complex is a direct threat to the right of self-determination for African people. Oladunni noted that technologies such as Pegasus spyware are often used by dictatorial regimes to monitor citizens under the guise of national security.

The Coalition for the Elimination of Imperialism in Africa, which was formed in 2023 following the coup in Niger, maintained that 44 African states currently maintain formal ties with Israel. The group insisted that these relationships do not offer mutual benefits but instead entrench the grip of neocolonial interests on the continent.

The programme concluded with a call for the Nigerian public to recognise the link between global geopolitical struggles and local security issues, urging a total re-evaluation of the nation’s foreign policy.