In the face of Nigeria’s security problems, a former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien has urged President Bola Tinubu to provide decisive and visionary leadership, while the National Security Adviser and the defence ministers should resign, if they are not able to demonstrate the capacity to handle the situation.
A former member of the House of Representatives, the elder statesman said in a statement: ‘Service chiefs must deliver results or make way for those who can secure Nigeria. The administration cannot continue as it is. Failure to act will haunt the nation for generations. Yet with political will, unity, and purpose, Nigeria can overcome this dark moment’.
Nigeria has been bedevilled by heightened insecurity occasioned by a series of kidnappings of school children, terrorist attacks and killings with alleged Christian genocide also thrown into the mix, leading to United States President Donald Trump classifying Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’.
Essien recalled the killing of the Commander of 25 Brigade in Damboa, Borno State, Brigadier-General Musa Uba and three of his men who were kidnapped and executed in in their territory a few days ago.
He also stated that over 64 citizens, including women and children, were abducted in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, while 25 female students and their principal were kidnapped, and their Vice Principal killed in Kebbi State.
‘Christians praying in Kwara State were attacked, leaving three dead and 38 kidnapped. A police officer was killed in Geidam, Yobe State. In Gwoza, eight Civilian Joint Task Force members were murdered and three kidnapped. In Sokoto, 15 people, nursing mothers and newborns among them, were abducted and two killed. Only days ago, more than 300 students were kidnapped from a Catholic school in Niger State’, he said.
Essien’s statement further read: ‘These tragedies are no longer isolated events; they have become daily realities in many parts of Nigeria. The pattern of attacks have been consistent, coordinated, and increasingly brutal and shows that terrorism has grown beyond what any responsible government should tolerate. Schools are being shut down, families are afraid to send their children out, farmers have abandoned their fields, and worshippers no longer feel safe in their own sanctuaries. Nigeria is dangerously close to normalising terror.
‘Strong and focused leadership is essential in a time like this. Sadly, the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu has not demonstrated the urgency or clarity required. President Tinubu was once among the loudest critics of the Jonathan administration, demanding accountability for every life lost. Today, the insecurity he decried has worsened dramatically, yet the leadership he promised has not materialised.
‘Equally troubling are the appointments of defence ministers with little or no experience in security or defence operations. At a time when Nigeria is fighting highly adaptive terrorist networks, the defence sector must be led by individuals with strategic insight, operational competence, and deep knowledge of security matters. Defence is not a political reward; it is the backbone of national survival. Allegations that some officials harbour sympathies for terrorist groups or maintain questionable links with them only deepen public anxiety. A nation cannot defeat terror when elements of its security architecture may be compromised.
‘Nigeria must abandon the culture of excuses and political diversions that mask the real issues. The primary responsibility of government is to protect its citizens, not to rationalise the motives of terrorists or craft narratives of shared victimhood. Terrorism has religious, economic, political, and social roots that must be addressed honestly. It is counterproductive to shape national security decisions around the perceived sensitivities of foreign leaders. The killings are happening on Nigerian soil; the victims are Nigerians. Our leaders must prioritise Nigeria.
‘What the country needs now is a comprehensive, well-designed security strategy. It must prioritise intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based security networks, and ensure that the armed forces are properly equipped, motivated, and led by competent professionals. Just as important is confronting the uncomfortable reality that terrorism is sometimes enabled by collaborators within security or political structures. Those who fund, support, or protect terrorists, regardless of their status, must be identified and held accountable. Security should never be sacrificed for political convenience.
‘The socio-economic conditions that fuel terrorism must also be addressed. Nigeria is grappling with a crisis of uncontrolled population growth, especially in communities where men are encouraged to marry multiple wives and have unregulated numbers of children. Millions of underaged children roam the streets without education, guidance, or hope. Their parents cannot provide for them, and the government either lacks the will or the capacity to intervene. These children become easy recruits for banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism. Any long-term solution must include policies that restore dignity and opportunity to vulnerable groups.
‘Corruption remains another cancer eating at Nigeria’s core. It permeates nearly every sector, and resources meant for public welfare are routinely diverted. Reports of investigations are rarely published, and when they are, no action is taken. Nigeria is constantly short of funds because of massive leakages—despite oil sales, loans, subsidy removals, and other revenue sources. A government that cannot control corruption cannot secure its people.
‘The politicisation of security poses a greater danger than the terrorists themselves. If current trends continue, Nigeria risks losing public trust, experiencing economic collapse, fueling mass displacement, and sinking into deeper religious and ethnic conflict. No nation can survive these combined pressures. Propaganda, sycophancy, and political scheming must not be allowed to overshadow the urgent need for decisive action. Nigeria is too important to Africa and the world to be allowed to fail.
‘At this pivotal time, I call on thought leaders, traditional rulers, religious figures, civil society organisations, the media, and all patriotic citizens to rise above partisanship and help restore order. This support should be constructive, demanding competence and transparency while ensuring that government upholds its constitutional duty to protect lives and property. The government cannot solve this crisis alone; the nation must unite.
‘Furthermore, the administration must end the systematic suppression of opposition figures through intimidation, infiltration, and coercion. These tactics amount to political terrorism and undermine democracy. It is ironic that many current leaders who today restrict protests once freely organised demonstrations under far less threatening security conditions. The same freedoms that paved their path to power must not be denied to others today. A democracy that silences dissent stands on the brink of dictatorship.
‘Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads. Our future depends on the choices we make now. The President must provide decisive and visionary leadership. The National Security Adviser and Defence Ministers must prove their capacity or resign. Service chiefs must deliver results or make way for those who can secure Nigeria. The administration cannot continue as it is. Failure to act will haunt the nation for generations. Yet with political will, unity, and purpose, Nigeria can overcome this dark moment.
‘I therefore urge all Nigerians: stand together, defend our country, and refuse to remain silent while it bleeds’.
