President Tinubu And Insecurity Sin - Part 5

While I understand President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT or President Tinubu) has just jetted out of the country to France for a couple of weeks though saw to a major shakeup in the NNPCL leadership just before he left town, I am minded to continue my series – assessing his woeful failures as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Offices since his assumption of office. For a man who kept singing his slogan ‘EMILOKAN’ – meaning it was his turn, one would have assumed he was more than prepared to hit the ground with positively impacting policies and measures that would have changed the lives of majority of Nigerians for the better but sadly, this appear not to be case as PBAT’s administration has been marked by one poverty enabling or standard of living worsening policy or the other. Rather unfortunately, it would appear President Tinubu now called “T-Pain” in certain quarters can’t be bothered. Examples of his appalling approach to governance abound as highlighted in Part 4 of my article series where I considered PBAT’s sins of state capture and argued that the award of the NGN15 trillion contract sum to a company linked to Mr Seyi Tinubu (Mr President’s son) and President Tinubu’s long time friend and/or (business) ally – Mr Gilbert Chagoury was another example of PBAT attempting to put into play - the long wielded tool of state capture - in a bid to directly or indirectly enrich himself, business/political associates or allies, immediate family members or relatives and reward those loyal to him at the expense of others. Quoting former President Obasanjo on what constitutes state capture, I opined that that the purported acquisition or takeover(?) of NNPC Retail Limited - the downstream arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited –through a the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as OVH Energy – largely associated with PBAT’s relatives, Mr Wale Tinubu of Oando Plc - but now said to have been acquired by Helios Investment Partners – could be said to pass as a case study for state capture. Notably and in Part III of my article series, I had argued, amongst other things, that the same N15 trillion contract award could equally be said to be nepotic, having been devoid of any competitive tendering/bidding and arguably awarded in contravention of extant procurement laws, and also considering the manner in which it was awarded as well as the immediate damages occasioned to several landmark businesses including the Owner of the popular Landmark Beach amongst others.

In this Part 5 of the series on President Tinubu’s administration, I consider the heighted insecurity challenges facing Nigeria since the assumption of office of President Tinubu. I argue that upon a review of the entire security architecture in Nigeria as well as both proactive and/or reactive actions and/or responses since his assumption of office, PBAT has woefully failed in guaranteeing the safety of lives and properties of the average Nigeria, at least to a reasonably large extent, with the exception of the rich few and top elite who have access to special police protection through the Special Protection Unit (SPU) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The ‘protection for hire’ syndrome has worsened a lot of citizens’ fear that safety in Nigeria is now on hire – to the highest bidders, thereby leaving a good number of citizens exposed to banditry, kidnapping, herdsmen crises, violent crimes, communal crises, amongst others.

Quite instructive to note that the current writer is not alone in his thoughts that PBAT has failed on delivery on his security mandate to Nigerians. The Punch, in an Editorial on 17 May 2024 noted that barely ‘a year in the saddle, President Bola Tinubu seemingly has no security plan.’ According to The Punch, ‘Nigerians are being abducted, displaced, and massacred at will by non-state actors’ under President Tinubu and the ‘most vulnerable states are Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Kaduna, Benue, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory.’ One could not agree more with erudite submission of The Punch Newspaper that events recorded since President Tinubu assumed office would leave one to conclude that he barely has any security plan and if any at all, those plans are at best weak and devoid of effective implementation as cases of kidnappings, bandits (mass) abduction and destruction of lives and properties, and killings by herdsmen and varying cases of murder in the hands of bandits have not abated since May 2023. Worse still is President Tinubu indecisiveness as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to declare State of Emergency in the States with the most disturbing security breaches but rather ironically – he was swift to declare a state of emergency in the relatively peaceful Rivers State which is by far peaceful compared to the security breaches in the other states earlier mentioned and even the Federal Capital Territory.

Beyond the economic hardship highlighted in Part I and Part II of my article series, one would be right to assert that a good of Nigerians have needlessly lost their lives and suffered mass abduction as well as loss of properties to the unfortunate hands of bandits. Just last year and in Katsina, there were reports of bandits abducting 80 villagers at Yar-Malamai, Faskari Local Government Area with the bandits only reportedly leaving six houses intact in the entire village, looting shops, burning houses and vehicles in the village after reportedly operating unhindered for 10 hours in broad daylight! Rather disturbing trend if one may say as one would have expected the security personnel to have at least come to the rescue of the resident within the several hours of the bandits operation. Also, it is also disappointing the Department for State Security (DSS) did not receive any intelligence report of such massive abduction and wanton destruction of properties but often quick to receive questionable intelligence in other places that is relatively peaceful – thereby, making a mockery of our entire security architecture. Useful to mention that the same set of bandits that wrecked the havoc on Katsina had reportedly killed four soldiers in their camp in Faskari LGA a day earlier. Yet, the President could not deem it fit to declare State of Emergency as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the area but sure deemed it fit to declare one in the entire Rivers State. How strange! Quite instructive to note that the LGA Chairman had earlier cried for help on account of previous killings of some of the residents but it would appear the appeal fell on deaf ears.

Earlier today, Kolade Adeyemi of The Nation Newspaper reported how bandits killed not less than ten (10) residents in fresh attacks on some Plateau State Communities. How tragic! One would be right to assert that the depart souls were failed by President Tinubu led government as their sudden tragic departure from this world could have been averted had the security agencies as well as the intelligence bodies dutifully done their part. It is the contention of the present writer that had PBAT swiftly done the needful as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to put ‘his money where his mouth is,’ by timeously instructing that the military/security personnel resources as well as efficient security architecture be deployed and prioritised for communities most plagued by bandits, herdsmen and such unpredictable fatal attacks, as opposed to chasing what is not in Rivers State - which is more peaceful, the stitch in time would have been life-saving and help avert deeply concerning stories that reveal the inept of PBAT’s led administration on security front. But what do we have? We have a President that is more interested in spending more time to ‘chill’ in France as opposed to actually govern!

In March 2025, The Punch reported how not less ten members of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards were killed in an ambush laid by bandits in in Anka Local Government Area, despite the presence of some men from the Nigerian Army. This much was confirmed by The Premium Times and Daily Trust, amongst others. Barely two weeks ago and sometime in March 2025, devastating reports of bandits or suspected herdsmen killing some military personnel and residents in some part of Benue State were received.

Reports like the above largely reveal the gross inefficiency of the Nigerian Security Architecture and further underscores the need for an utter overhaul of approaches adopted thus far as well as why a state of emergency should be declared in those parts of Nigeria as it pertains to security of lives and properties. Anything less than full protection for Nigerians in those parts is a failure on the part of President Tinubu.

Again in March 2025, Daily Post reported that bandits killed not less than two villagers in Tudu Village, Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, following an attack on the innocent villagers. One wonders where the government was in this. Barely a month before then and precisely in February 2025, bandits had also reported by Daily Post, as having killed twelve (12) traders and abducted four (4) others in in Zaria, Kaduna State. The traders, who were said to have been travelling to Katsina and Zamfara states to purchase tomatoes were reportedly ambushed on their way back. The multi-million-naira then remains – where were the security agencies in all of this? I mean, one is forced to also ask – is there any security architecture functional and existing in those parts of Nigeria or has Nigeria now returned to a state of anarchy in those areas - such that bandits can operate audaciously and in broad day light in certain areas with no fear of reprisal or reasonable repel from our security agencies and useful timely intelligence from the intelligence bodies to prevent such?

Sometime in February 2025, there were reports including in The Nation of politically-motivated killings. Not minding the root cause of the conflict, the Presidency, working with the State Government, ought to have directed his security chiefs and heads of other security/intelligence agencies as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to first guarantee lives and properties in the State as opposed to adopting a laissez-faire attitude to governance – thinking after all that Osun State is far from the Federal Capital Territory and security agencies acting with reckless abandon – like an extended arm of the All Progressives Congress (APC) - refusing to protect lives when it truly matter - but has now become notorious more for mostly rising to the occasion after the deeds are done. What a shame! In the same Osun State and just in March 2025, The Nation Newspaper also reported how over 100,000 people were displaced in a communal clash where properties close to Two Billion Naira (N2bn) were destroyed. The Dancing Governor didn't have much choice but to resort to ask for the assistance of the state assigned security personnel and also quickly embrace the State driven security initiative - Amotekun - following the paths of Ondo and Oyo States. Perhaps, it's time all States in Nigeria adopted state policing and we decentralised police security architecture, systems and structure for each state in Nigeria, since each state already has a Ministry of Justice that prosecutes crimes committed in breach of laws of the State, amongst others.

Just in January 2025, The Punch Newspaper reported how bandits killed not less than twenty-one (21) persons in the Katsina unfortunate attack. The rather tragic incident has since been confirmed by the Katsina State Police Command (KSPC) through DSP Abubakar Sadiq – the Public Relations Officer for the KSCP. What a national tragedy!

Circa April 2024, Reuters reported that not less than 21 villages were killed in Omala Local Government Area, Kogi State in a clash between herders and farmers in Africa's most populous nation fuelled by growing pressure on land resources. In a 2024 report by The Punch, concerns were raised as to how in just five weeks, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State witnessed more than ten devastating attacks by bandits in no fewer than eight of its communities – losing not less than thirty-one (31) residents. Useful to note that Al Jazeera, in a December 2023 publication, reported that armed groups killed not less than one hundred (100) people in series of attacks across central Nigeria - targeting towns across central Nigeria.

Similarly and again in April 2024, The Nation, in a special report by Gbenga Omokhunu, reported that bandits killed not less than ninety (90) policemen less than one year. Reading of how such number of law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty is rather disturbing and further underscores the need for the President Tinubu led government to do more on protection of lives and properties – including that of the men in uniform by adequately equipping with them with more modern tool to their jobs.

Quite instructively and in a BudIT publication authored by Ibukunolu James in April 2024, addressing Nigeria’s rising insecurity and its implications for the Nigerian Economy, the point has been made that Nigeria contends with sundry security challenges that not only directly impact our country’s economy but also undermine our nation’s stability as well as the rule of law. Those security threats also negatively impacts Nigeria’s economy, thereby, affecting prices of commodities, output, employment rate, trade balance between Nigeria and other countries, poverty rate, inequality amongst citizens, expenditure for the security forces, budget patterns for the government, socio-political environment, amongst others. Hence, it is expedient for President Tinubu to prioritise the nation’s security as her President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Indeed, it is time PBAT woke and smelt the coffee!

On a final note and as decried by the 2023 PDP Presidential Candidate and one time former Vice President – Atiku Ababakar in a Business Day publication, the rising kidnapping/bandits’ incidents in Nigeria is an indication that President Bola Tinubu’s security strategy is failing urged PBAT to rework his approach to stop the escalating insecurity in Nigeria. President Tinubu sure needs no soothsayer to come to the realisation that the safety of Nigerians is quite paramount to the prosperity of the people, as business can only thrive where there is peace, order and security of lives as well as properties.

Joseph Onele, a legal practitioner, writes from Lagos, Nigeria and can be reached via [email protected] or [email protected]