A former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, has urged President Bola Tinubu to fulfil his promise to provide security, as stated during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023.
He noted that worsening insecurity and emerging external threats demand immediate and decisive action.
In a statement shared with Saturday PUNCH, the ex-envoy said Tinubu made several commitments upon assuming office, some of which were implemented immediately, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates.
While these measures earned the President commendations, the former ambassador said they also triggered severe inflation and hardship for ordinary Nigerians.
He acknowledged that later reforms, such as tax restructuring, are already receiving praise, though their real effects will only become clear in 2026.
However, he stressed that current realities — particularly rising insecurity and global uncertainties reportedly linked to threats by the US President, Donald Trump — make it critical for Tinubu to prioritise the safety of citizens.
Quoting Tinubu’s inaugural pledge that “we are here to mend and heal this nation, not to tear and injure it,” the ex-envoy said many Nigerians were still waiting to see that promise materialise as communities face daily killings, kidnappings and displacement.
He also referenced the President’s assurance that Nigeria would remain “the indispensable home for each and every one of us,” urging the administration to demonstrate this in practical terms to citizens living under constant threat from ISWAP, ISGS and other militant groups who do not recognise Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Farounbi reminded the President of his vow to “defend our nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country,” noting that Nigerians had hoped this would finally bring an end to Boko Haram and other violent groups.
The ex-envoy expressed disappointment that the promised reform of Nigeria’s “security doctrine and architecture” has yet to materialise.
He argued that Nigeria’s size, population and diversity require more than a single centralised police force, advocating the creation of state and local government police formations as part of a decentralised security structure.
According to him, many Nigerians expected President Tinubu — who showed political courage in eliminating fuel subsidy — to apply the same resolve in restructuring the country’s security framework, despite resistance from entrenched interests within existing agencies.
He urged the President to “restudy his charter with Nigerians” and recommit to the security reforms outlined in his inaugural speech, emphasising that continuing the same outdated approaches will not yield different results.
“Many Nigerians believe that the promised security architecture will provide for decentralisation, devolution and indeed localisation of security formations.
“We expect resistance from existing formations which will desperately protect their empires. But we believe and trust in the courage that PBAT used in withdrawing fuel subsidy will override those empire-protecting resistance.”
The ex-envoy said Nigerians still trust that President Tinubu can deliver on his promises, but insisted that the time for action is now.
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