The Presidency has advised Senator Ali Ndume to channel actionable intelligence on terrorism to security agencies rather than making sweeping allegations on television.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, gave the advice on Tuesday while responding to Ndume’s recent television appearance, where he claimed terrorists have informants within the Nigerian society.
In an interview with Vanguard, which was confirmed to PUNCH Online late Tuesday, Onanuga stated that if the Borno South senator possesses specific intelligence about terrorist operations, informants, or planned attacks, such information should be shared with the military and security agencies for operational action.
“If Senator Ndume has credible intelligence about terrorist informants or their mode of operation beyond what is already known to security agencies, the appropriate step is to share this with the Chief of Defence Staff, the National Security Adviser, or relevant intelligence bodies, not to discuss it on television,” Onanuga stated.
The presidential aide emphasised that actionable intelligence requires confidential handling through proper security channels to enable effective response.
PUNCH Online reports that Ndume had appeared on Channels Television, revealing that terrorists use commercial tricycles (Keke NAPEP) to deliver bombs and rely on informants within communities to plan attacks.
“What they do is hit and run. They gather, share information among themselves, and most dangerously, they get information from some citizens, too. They have informants within society,” the senator had stated.
He also criticised government efforts, saying, “The government, I must say, are not walking the talk. Security agencies and soldiers still do not have the training, equipment, ammunition, and motivation they need.”
Onanuga, however, defended the Tinubu administration’s security investments, noting that President Bola Tinubu approved additional equipment and operational support during a security meeting held just before the Maiduguri bombings.
“The President has demonstrated commitment by approving the highest budgetary allocation to defence in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, securing military equipment from France and the United Kingdom, and directing security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri,” Onanuga stated.
He added that public statements about security gaps, while legitimate as political commentary, become counterproductive when they contain specific operational intelligence that should be classified.
The Presidency’s response comes amid ongoing operations by troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State following the March 16 suicide bombings that killed 23 people and injured 108 others in Maiduguri.
President Tinubu had directed security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to oversee operations and approved additional equipment to enhance counter-terrorism capabilities.
Vice President Kashim Shettima visited victims at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital on March 18, assuring enhanced support for security forces.
Ndume, who represents Borno South, where much of the insurgency is concentrated, has been vocal about security challenges in the North-East, often calling for more aggressive military action and better equipment for troops.
The senator had also questioned intelligence failures, asking why terrorists who record their atrocities on TikTok cannot be tracked when ordinary citizens’ phones are easily monitored.
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