By convention and the constitution, the President is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria. A serious lapse and breach of security such as the current carnage in Plateau, Zamfara, Benue, Katsina and other states should have prompted the President to cut short his current ‘working visit’ to France. The President should have flown back home last week out of respect for the souls of the departed.
If anything, President Tinubu is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria and should be on the table in his office at this critical moment, strategising with our military chiefs and heads of other security agencies to map out an effective strategy to confront these bandits and terrorists.
Indeed, the President has no official business in France that is more valuable than the lives of the Nigerian people.
The ongoing killings across Nigeria are nothing short of the FAILURE OF GOVERNMENT to provide security to life and property. The notion of ‘Islamisation agenda’ or ‘land grabbing’ or even ‘historical inter-ethnic attacks and reprisals’ are all but concocted narratives by leaders who failed in their responsibility to provide security and those who are paid to spread these fake narratives including the media.
Last week, 52 persons were killed and over 2000 displaced in Ruwi, Manguna and some surrounding villages in Bokkos local government area Plateau state. Again last Monday, 54 persons were killed in Zike and Kamankpa villages in Bassa local government area in the same Plateau state.
Last week, bandits killed 16 people in Kebbi state in a gun duel between the Lakurawa terrorist group and security forces including the local vigilantes.
Again, last week in Katsina state, 6 people were killed and 59 abducted by bandits in Layin Gara and Maikuma villages. These are part of the many attacks, abductions and killings happening almost on daily basis along Katsina’s Funtua-Kankara-Faskari axis commonly dubbed ‘the corridor of death’
Last Monday was another sad day in Zamfara state, commonly referred to as the ‘capital of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria’ when a former Talata Mafara local government administrator, Saminu Morai was killed along with 3 other residents.
Just yesterday, 11 people were killed in the Otobi community in the Akpa district of the Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Nigeria’s leaders have failed to provide security so they resort to blame games to cover up for their failures. The country is literally burning while our President is in faraway France. We should remember that the provision of security to life and property is the PRIMARY PURPOSE of government as enshrined in section 14(2)(b) of the constitution, Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
When a government fails on security, it has failed in everything.
To add salt to injury, the legislative arm of government, our senators and members House of Representatives are not taking the security situation with the seriousness it deserves. Just at the thick of these deadly attacks and killings in Nigeria, the senators are neck deep in debate about the so-called AkpaNa gate (Akpabio-Natasha gate) in the sexual harassment allegation levelled against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. What a misplacement of priority.
For weeks since 5th March 2025, the senate has been overwhelmed by the Natasha sexual allegations, her suspension, the so-called ethics committee headed by Sen Neda Imasuen, Sen Nwaebonyi testing his high-pitch oratory on live TV etc etc. This is in the heat of the deadly attacks culminating in the killing of over 100 people in Plateau state within 6 days.
In fact, the average fatality from bandits, terrorists, and secessionist attacks in Nigeria has now reached 100 per week. This is just as the government; the executive, legislature and the judiciary goes about their business-as-usual as if nothing is wrong. The judiciary is busy dishing out politically-motivated rulings; Rivers state of emergency ruling, PDP national secretary ruling etc while many bandits and terrorists are in prison without trial. To date, no bandit, secessionist or terrorist has been prosecuted by Nigeria’s extremely weak criminal justice system.
Nigeria is being turned into some sort of Konzentrationslager reminiscent of Nazi Germany (1933-1945) because of the simple fact that our leaders have failed in their responsibilities to provide security. Don’t listen to anyone who says the killings are inspired by ‘Islamisation agenda’ or ‘land grabbing’. It is not true. They are passing the buck because they have failed to provide security.
The simple reason behind insecurity in Nigeria is FAILURE OF GOVERNMENT not any Islamisation agenda.
Blame game and buck passing will not solve the problem. The President blames the state governor, the governor blames the local government chairman, who blames the councillors and so forth.
Just when you thought you heard the worst in Nigeria, another story of senseless killings hits you right in the face.
How bandits and terrorists can send WARNING LETTERS and REMINDERS to communities ahead of attack with date and time of attack and actually carry out the attack at their own appointed date and time without our security agencies preempting these attacks is beyond me.
Within just 6 days, over 100 people were killed in Plateau state.
Do human lives no longer have any value?
Secessionists under the guise of unknown gunmen are running riot in the South East, leaving tears and sorrow in their wake.
It is not enough to say that the President can ‘operate from anywhere’ as I am sure his spokespersons would. The President needs to be physically present in Nigeria to be able to inspire our troops and get his hands directly on the matter. It is time for our President to visit our troops on the frontline, even if to boost their morale. Troop morale is sine qua non to winning this war against bandits, terrorists and secessionists.
To compliment the efforts of our gallant military in the fight against kidnappers, bandits and terrorists, the following measures are strongly proposed:
1. Use of information and communications technology (ICT) through the deployment of drones and satellites.
2. Equipping local vigilantes in every community with modern weapons.
3. Setting up SPECIAL COURTS to try cases of terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.
4. Assigning SPECIAL JUDGES to preside over cases of kidnapping and banditry.
5. Enacting SPECIAL LAWS on kidnapping and banditry including capital punishment by the National Assembly.
It is shocking that Nigeria doesn’t have any specific and enforceable laws specifying punishment for kidnapping and banditry but have laws for electoral offences.
Security is necessary for any developmental efforts embarked upon by the government to succeed. No development can be achieved without a safe and secure environment, and any policies of the government will not be appreciated or even noticed by the people if they cannot move freely and/or sleep with their two eyes closed.
