Politics

Democracy Day: Analysts give verdict on Tinubu’s handling of insecurity

Published

4 months ago

June 12, 2026

As Nigeria marks Democracy Day today, political analysts have expressed differing views on the current state of insecurity across the country.

In recent months, national discourse on insecurity has dominated both traditional and social media platforms, raising concerns about the security situation and its potential impact on President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election in 2027.

A political analyst, Kabiru Ojo, has criticised the state of security in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the situation has worsened over the past three years.

Ojo revealed this in an exclusive interview .

He said insecurity, which was previously concentrated in a few states, has now spread across the country.

“I will say the security situation in Nigeria has gone from bad to worse. It is getting worse day by day,” he said.

He explained that before the current administration, kidnapping and banditry were mostly limited to states like Zamfara and parts of the North-East, but have now spread to many parts of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory.

“Before Tinubu took over, these issues were mostly in some states like Zamfara and Maiduguri, but now it has spread to all regions. It has even entered Abuja,” he said.

He cited recent incidents, including the reported abduction of a student on the way to write WAEC examinations in Abuja, as well as similar cases in Kogi and Kwara states.

“Just recently, a student going to write WAEC in Abuja was abducted. The same thing happened in Kogi. Kwara used to be peaceful, but now there are abductions and killings,” he said.

Ojo also said rural communities have been badly affected, with many residents forced to flee their homes due to fear of attacks.

“Rural communities are not safe. People are running away from their homes because of bandits. Attacks are happening frequently, and nobody is being caught,” he said.

He accused the government of failing to take decisive action, claiming that citizens are increasingly being left to protect themselves.

“People are now being advised to defend themselves. Even clerics and ordinary citizens are telling people to protect themselves because the government is not doing enough,” he said.

Matawalle appointment first indicator Tinubu not ready to tackle insecurity

While criticizing President Tinubu’s approach to tackling insecurity, Ojo said the appointment of former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle as the state minister of defense, has raised serious doubts about the government’s commitment to addressing the crisis.

He argued that the decision sends a wrong signal at a time Nigerians are facing widespread kidnappings and banditry.

“Appointing Matawalle raises doubts about the fight against insecurity,” he said.

He questioned the rationale behind the appointment.

He noted that Matawalle’s tenure as governor of Zamfara State was widely associated with insecurity challenges, which eventually led to his defeat at the polls.

“Zamfara was one of the worst-hit states during his time, and the people voted him out because of insecurity,” he said.

Ojo argued that bringing him into a key security role shows that the government may not be serious about resolving the insecurity it inherited.

“This shows that Tinubu is not ready to solve the insecurity he inherited,” he said.

He further referenced the Obasanjo-Atiku era, claiming that firm directives were once given to security agencies to tackle emerging threats quickly.

“Atiku told Obasanjo that when Boko Haram was emerging, there was a clear instruction to security agencies to act within a time frame and eliminate the threat,” he said.

Ojo added that he had also heard similar suggestions being made in the current national discourse, including from religious leaders.

“Even Pastor Adeboye made similar suggestions that government should give a 90-day ultimatum to dislodge bandits and insurgents,” he said.

He, however, lamented that such proposals are not being implemented under the current administration, which he believes has not shown enough urgency.

“But Mr President will not listen because of politics and interest,” he said

Ojo also accused the government of focusing more on political survival than on security reforms, suggesting that more urgency is being placed on politics than on protecting lives.

“If the same energy being used for politics is used to tackle insecurity, Nigeria would be safer,” he said.

He rated the government low on security performance, insisting that the current approach has failed to produce meaningful results.

“If I am to score them on security, I will give them 2 out of 10. It is a complete failure,” he added.

Ojo expressed deep concern that the security situation in Nigeria may not see any major improvement before the end of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure.

He said that although the government may attempt to reduce attacks, the scale of the crisis has already gone beyond quick fixes.

“Before the end of Tinubu’s administration, he will try to do his best to reduce insecurity, but I need to be sincere with you, the damage has been done,” he said.

“The insecurity in Nigeria has gone viral to a different dimension,” he added.

He argued that kidnapping and banditry have now become more organised and financially driven, making the problem even more difficult to eliminate.

“They have made it a lucrative business,” he said.

While acknowledging that some efforts may be made, he insisted that the impact would not be significant enough to fully restore peace before the end of the current administration.

Tinubu era seeing quicker hostage recoveries – Keshinro

Another activist, Muhammad B. Keshinro, said that while insecurity remains a major challenge in Nigeria, there has been a noticeable improvement in the speed of rescue operations under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Keshinro revealed this in an exclusive interview .

He said that although insecurity has not been completely eliminated, it has been considerably contained compared to previous years.

“After three years in office, insecurity has been considerably contained, not erased,” he said.

He explained that his assessment is based on the speed at which security forces now respond to high-profile kidnapping cases, noting that several victims have been rescued faster than in the past.

“The comparison I’m making is specifically about high-profile rescue outcomes. We are seeing quicker recoveries,” he said.

He cited the March 2024 abduction of schoolchildren in Kuriga, Kaduna State, as a key example.

According to him, the incident, which drew national attention, was handled with urgency by the authorities.

“President Tinubu ordered security agencies to prioritise the rescue operation immediately, and within about 17 days, 137 hostages were rescued,” he said.

He noted that the outcome was widely seen as faster compared to previous incidents such as the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, where many victims remained in captivity for years.

Keshinro also pointed to other rescue operations, including the recovery of 16 Almajiri pupils in Sokoto State during the same period, as well as the rescue of 38 worshippers abducted in Kwara State in November 2025.

“In the Kwara case, all 38 victims were freed within days of the abduction,” he said.

He further mentioned the rescue of 24 schoolgirls abducted from a boarding school in Kebbi State.

He described it as another example of improved response by security forces.

According to him, the military has also recorded broader successes in counterinsurgency operations, including the rescue of hundreds of abducted persons in Borno State.

“There have been larger operations where about 360 abducted persons were rescued from terrorist captivity,” he added.

Comparing the current administration with that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Keshinro said both governments recorded some successes, but noted differences in response time.

“Under Buhari, there were major recoveries, including some Chibok girls and Dapchi students, but many victims stayed long in captivity and kidnappings continued,” he said.

“Under Tinubu, security challenges remain and kidnappings have not disappeared, but several major abductions have been followed by relatively rapid rescue operations,” he added.

Despite the improvements, the analyst stressed that insecurity is still a serious concern, with reports of kidnappings and bandit attacks continuing in some parts of the country.

“It is important to note that insecurity is still a major issue. The problem has not been eliminated,” he said.

He, however, maintained that the speed of response in recent high-profile cases shows some level of progress.

“From the standpoint of speed of response, the Kuriga rescue in particular shows a more rapid recovery compared to what we saw in the past,” he said.

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 202

Politics

No quarrel with Soludo, says Peter Obi on Anambra debt

Published

20 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said he has no disagreement with his successor, Chukwuma Soludo, declaring that he will not seek the governorship of any state again.

Obi made the clarification on Friday while responding to issues that had recently generated public discussion, including the controversy over the financial obligations associated with projects implemented during his tenure as Anambra governor.

The former governor, who said he had remained silent in recent days because he was mourning his late elder brother and friend, Chief Okey Ezeibe, said he was not interested in returning to the governorship, even if the Constitution was amended.

“I wish to assure the public that I have no disagreement with my dear elder brother, Governor Soludo, or with any governor in Nigeria. I am not seeking the office of governor in any state, and I will not seek that position again, even if the Constitution is amended”, he stated.

Obi also appealed to governors to allow presidential candidates and other contestants to campaign freely in their states, irrespective of their political affiliations. He said, “Accordingly, I appeal to governors to support whichever presidential candidate they choose while also permitting and assisting other presidential candidates and contenders for other offices to campaign freely and without interruption in their states. Ultimately, voters should be allowed to determine whom they wish to serve them.”

He added that political actors should focus on the challenges confronting Nigerians rather than engage in distractions.

“On the Anambra debt question, I have remained silent over the past few days because I have been grieving the loss of my very dear elder brother and friend, Chief Okey Ezeibe. However, the time has come for me to address some of the matters that have occupied public discussion in recent days. I respectfully urge everyone to concentrate on the existential challenges confronting Nigeria and the hardships endured by its citizens, rather than on the needless distractions that have become widespread in our politics.”

His comments came amid a disagreement between the Anambra State Government and Obi over external borrowings associated with projects undertaken during his administration. https://punchng.com/anambra-govt-counters-obi-alleges-n127bn-124m-debt/

The state government had said eight external borrowings linked to projects during Obi’s tenure had a combined contracted value of $123.77m, with $92.35m outstanding as of June 30, 2026, based on figures from the Debt Management Office.

Obi rejected the characterisation of the facilities as “debt owed by Peter Obi”, saying they were primarily World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development development programmes negotiated by the Federal Government and accessed by participating states through subsidiary arrangements.

He said the figures being cited should be separated into the amount approved, the amount actually drawn and the balance outstanding when he left office. “The government has combined these distinct categories, added them together, and described the resulting US$123.77 million as ‘loans left by Peter Obi.’ That is an incorrect application of public-sector accounting”, he argued.

Obi further maintained that he did not personally approach any financial institution to borrow funds or issue a bond on behalf of the state. He said, “Regarding the multilateral funding inaccurately described as ‘debt owed by Peter Obi’ in Anambra State, I wish to state unequivocally, as Governor of Anambra State, I did not approach any financial institution to borrow funds or issue a bond on behalf of the state.

“Indeed, at his farewell ceremony, the then Director-General of the DMO, Abraham Nwankwo, appointed me chairman and declared that, during his 10 years in office, I was the only state governor who had not approached him for a loan facility.”

He also said his administration left no unpaid salaries, gratuities or pensions, and no verified debts owed to contractors or suppliers. “When I left office, the Anambra State Government owed no unpaid salaries, gratuities, or pensions. Neither did it owe any contractor or supplier who had completed work that the government had verified and certified.”

Obi said the issues surrounding the development financing should be considered in the context of how the facilities were approved, accessed and repaid.

“The eight facilities identified were primarily World Bank and IFAD development programs negotiated by the Federal Government, with participating states receiving access to the funds through subsidiary arrangements. They were not conventional commercial loans that I personally secured during my tenure. This does not suggest that Anambra had no repayment responsibilities; rather, each facility must be examined in light of its approval, effectiveness, drawdown, and repayment record”, he explained.

He also cited Debt Management Office figures for Anambra’s external debt at different points, questioning how the $123.77m figure attributed to his administration was arrived at.

“The clearest contradiction appears in the government’s own figures. It states that the original facilities amounted to approximately US$123.77 million and that US$92.35 million remained outstanding in June 2026. However, the DMO’s published records showed Anambra’s total external debt at approximately US$18 million when I began my tenure in March 2006, about US$30 million in March 2014, when I left office, and approximately US$45.15 million as of 31 December 2014, nine months after my departure.

“The Anambra State Government must therefore clarify how a state whose recorded external debt was about US$30 million in March 2014 and US$45.15 million in December 2014 could supposedly have inherited US$123.77 million from Peter Obi, who left office in March of that same year”, he concluded.

Source: punchng.com

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 23

Politics

Moghalu rejects Atiku campaign appointment ahead of 2027 elections

Published

20 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, has rejected his inclusion in the policy team of the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for the 2027 election.

Moghalu, in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, said he was neither consulted nor asked for his consent before his name was published as a member of Atiku’s campaign policy team.

His reaction came hours after Atiku’s campaign unveiled its Presidential Campaign Council, naming Moghalu among members of its Policy Team.

The team is chaired by economist and banker Mohammed Hayatudeen, with Professor Mohammed Sagagi as deputy chairman.

“I am surprised to see a statement from @atiku and @ADCNig campaign team including my name as a member of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s policy team for the 2027 presidential campaign.

“For the record: I was not consulted and did not give my consent to my name being published as a member of the ADC candidate’s policy team.

“I am NOT, in fact a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity,” Moghalu said.

Moghalu, who was a presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party in the 2019 election, said he had quit partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022.

“I have quit partisan politics in Nigeria since 2022. I have maintained, and continue to maintain, my non-partisan posture in our country’s national affairs.

“I am not a member or sympathiser of any political party in Nigeria,” he said.

He said his current engagements included serving as president of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation, IGET Africa, which he described as a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm.

Moghalu said his decision to remain outside partisan politics did not mean he was disengaged from national affairs.

“I remain committed to my country, Nigeria and its progress, but such commitment does not have to entail ANY partisan alignment.

“I have adopted the path of statesmanship, not partisanship,” he said.

The clarification follows the unveiling of Atiku’s campaign structure on Thursday, with Kashim Ibrahim-Imam named chairman, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman and Senator Austin Akobundu as Director-General and Campaign Manager.

The campaign said its Policy Team would develop policy proposals addressing issues including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.

Source: punchng.com

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 51

Politics

Benue PDP faults Alia over LG workers’ attendance register

Published

20 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State has condemned the directive issued by Governor Hyacinth Alia, ordering the 23 local government areas to maintain attendance registers for their workers.

The Benue State Local Government Service Commission, in a letter dated September 24, 2026, and signed by the Permanent Secretary, John Akume, on behalf of the chairman of the commission, had directed all LGAs to maintain daily staff attendance registers across departments.

The circular read, “I am directed to inform you that owing to the directives from His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Dr Hyacinth Alia, all establishments in the state civil service are to keep and maintain attendance registers.

“To this end, all local government councils are directed to comply with the above directive by opening attendance registers for staff across Departments.

“These registers are to be opened and closed by Heads of Departments daily at 8:30 am, as only staff who attain the minimum punctuality of 25 days would be eligible for payment of salaries.”

The permanent secretary advised that all the local government councils must adhere strictly to the directive beginning from October 1, 2026.

Reacting, the opposition PDP described the directive as “draconian and anti-worker.”

In a statement issued by the party’s state publicity secretary, Bright Antyo and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Thursday, the PDP said the directive negated the judgment of the Supreme Court, which affirmed the financial and administrative autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.

The PDP statement read, “This directive is not only draconian and anti-worker, but also a direct affront to the spirit and letter of the landmark Supreme Court judgment of July 2024, which affirmed the financial and administrative autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.

“Autonomy means independence. Autonomy means local governments should be free to take decisions concerning their administration, personnel management and internal operations without interference from the state government.

“A governor who genuinely believes in local government autonomy cannot simultaneously act as a supervisor, inspector, disciplinarian and paymaster of local government employees.”

The major opposition party in the state stated that the directive had exposed the contradiction between the governor’s public rhetoric and the reality on the ground.

“While the administration continues to celebrate supposed local government autonomy in public speeches, its actions reveal a desperate determination to retain control over affairs of the 23 councils through intimidation and despotic directives.

“Even more disturbing is the threat that workers who fail to meet a prescribed attendance requirement would be denied salaries.

“The authority to determine staff attendance, discipline workers and administer payroll belongs to the appropriate local government authorities, not the Governor’s Office or agencies acting on its behalf.

“Attempting to centralise such powers undermines the constitutional status of Local Governments and reduces elected council officials to mere spectators in the administration of their councils.”

The opposition PDP asked if the governor had been receiving directives from the Federal Government on how to administer the state.

The PDP said that with the directive, the third tier of government had been reduced to an appendage of the governor.

“They neither possess the practical freedom nor the financial capacity to award contracts independently.

“The governor runs the councils as extensions of his office, while any local government chairman who dares to complain or assert independence is swiftly suspended and eventually forced out of office,” the statement concluded.

Source: punchng.com

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 34