Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has launched a blistering critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, questioning the government’s approach to insecurity and describing the country as increasingly unable to protect its citizens.
In a viral video clip currently circulating widely on social media, the former Head of State spoke with unusual bluntness, expressing frustration over the persistence of deadly attacks by terrorists and bandits across parts of the country. Obasanjo asked pointedly why the Nigerian government is negotiating with armed groups while ordinary citizens continue to be killed almost daily.
“Why are we negotiating with terrorists and bandits?” he asked, a question that has since ignited intense public debate.
Obasanjo noted that insecurity has worsened to the point where, in his view, Nigerians now have a legitimate right to seek international intervention if the state can no longer guarantee their safety. He argued that protecting lives is the most basic responsibility of any government, and failure in that duty undermines the very essence of statehood.
Drawing comparisons with his time in office, Obasanjo claimed that the government then had the capacity to track and arrest criminals anywhere in the country, even without today’s advanced surveillance technologies such as drones. He suggested that the challenge confronting Nigeria is less about lack of tools and more about weak strategy, coordination, and political will.
The former president’s remarks come amid renewed concerns over rising incidents of banditry, kidnappings, terrorist attacks, and communal violence in various regions, despite repeated assurances by the Tinubu administration that security remains a top priority. The federal government has also, in the past, defended dialogue and non-kinetic measures as part of a broader strategy to end violence.
However, Obasanjo’s comments appear to resonate with a growing segment of the population that views negotiations with armed groups as a sign of state weakness rather than strength.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Presidency to Obasanjo’s remarks. The comments have continued to dominate public discourse, raising fundamental questions about Nigeria’s security architecture and the direction of its counterterrorism policies.
The debate now raging across the country remains unresolved: should Nigeria continue negotiating with terrorists and bandits, or adopt a more forceful approach to restore security and public confidence?