Tinubu’s Leadership and the Struggle for National Security
President Bola Tinubu returned on Monday from his 18-day “working visit” to London and France. But while he was away, Nigeria burned.
In his absence—and even more troubling—the President has shown little urgency or strategic vision in tackling the country’s deteriorating security situation.
Before his return, rather than assuming full responsibility as Commander-in-Chief, President Tinubu deflected blame for the gruesome killings in Plateau State by urging Governor Caleb Mutfwang to “summon the necessary political will” to restore peace.
This statement reeks of abdication and conveniently ignores the Federal Government’s constitutional obligation to secure lives and property.
The Presidency is well aware that governors across the federation lack control over federal security agencies, making such a demand not only tone-deaf but deeply disingenuous.
Nigeria is grappling with a multifaceted security crisis that has worsened alarmingly in recent months—from massacres in Plateau and Benue states to the ongoing menace of Boko Haram, the rise of a new terrorist faction, Lakurawa, in Zamfara State, and the recent discovery of “Mahmuda,” a new terrorist group from Kwara State.
Every well-thinking Nigerian knows the country is bleeding—both literally and figuratively. Yet, as the nation reels from one deadly attack to another, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains conspicuously absent, gallivanting across foreign capitals while his nation plunges deeper into chaos.
The situation raises serious concerns about leadership, accountability, and the competence of the national security architecture.
Early this month, gunmen stormed Zike Community in Plateau State’s Bassa LGA, slaughtering over 40 people, including children and the elderly. The attack was brutal and premeditated, with reports from Amnesty International revealing that the victims were ambushed in their sleep and had no chance to flee.
Just days later, another 24 people were murdered in Ukum LGA, Benue State. These attacks were not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing trend of unchecked violence by heavily armed herders and militias.
These gruesome killings have become all too common in the Middle Belt, yet the government’s response has been tepid at best. Rather than taking concrete steps to secure vulnerable communities, federal authorities continue to issue recycled condolences and vague promises, offering no tangible relief to grieving families.
Kwara State, once considered relatively stable, is now under threat from ‘Mahmuda’ and from intensified attacks by Lakurawa—a radical group that originally posed as a self-defense force in Sokoto in 2016.
Over time, Lakurawa has morphed into a full-blown terrorist organization, now enforcing a brutal form of rule in some northern communities. In 2024, the Federal Government belatedly declared the group a terrorist organization, but the damage had already been done.
Lakurawa is not merely a fringe militia—it is a sign of the Nigerian state’s inability to maintain a monopoly on violence. The group’s rise is indicative of a vacuum of governance in large swathes of the country, where state presence has been replaced by the rule of terror.
President Tinubu’s prolonged absence during this national crisis drew sharp rebukes from across the political spectrum. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar captured the national mood when he accused Tinubu of “governing by proxy” while Nigerians suffer.
“You cannot lead a country like Nigeria with one leg in London and another in Abuja,” Atiku said. “Leadership demands presence, especially in times of crisis.”
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Indeed, Tinubu’s absence is not just a public relations failure—it is a catastrophic dereliction of duty. While he enjoys foreign hospitality, families in Plateau are burying their dead in mass graves, and communities in Benue are fleeing ancestral lands.
Tinubu’s aloofness sends a dangerous message: that the lives of ordinary Nigerians are secondary to his personal convenience.
Criticism must also extend to the President’s security team, which has consistently failed to anticipate, prevent, or adequately respond to security threats.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, although commended for rescuing some kidnapped victims, has offered little in terms of proactive measures, strategic direction, or innovative intelligence gathering to prevent future occurrences.
Despite spending over ₦4.4 trillion on the military between 2020 and 2025, Nigeria remains a battlefield. Soldiers are under-equipped, police officers are outgunned, and citizens are unprotected.
One must ask: where did the trillions go? Why does Nigeria remain one of the most insecure countries in the world despite having one of the largest security budgets in Africa?
The dysfunctionality of Nigeria’s centralized security structure is no longer debatable. State governors remain hamstrung—unable to mobilize local police or security assets without approval from Abuja. In essence, they are first responders without any real tools.
Prominent voices like Pastor Tunde Bakare have called for a complete overhaul. He advocates for zonal security councils chaired by governors and manned by nonpartisan security experts.
This multilevel policing model is not just an idea—it is a necessity. Without it, Nigeria will continue to respond to security threats with the lethargy and bureaucracy that has defined the current system.
Similarly, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto, in a scathing Easter message, warned that Nigerians were “at the breaking point.” He decried the silence of the government as Nigerians are “nailed daily to the cross of insecurity, hunger, and hopelessness.”
His warning reflects the sentiment of millions who feel abandoned by their government and betrayed by those sworn to protect them. Religious and traditional leaders are now stepping into the leadership vacuum left by the Federal Government—appealing for peace, counseling victims, and sometimes even negotiating with armed groups.
This shift in authority is a dangerous signal of state failure. The Nigerian Armed Forces continue to carry out operations across the Northeast, Northwest, North Central, South-South, and Southeast.
Yet, insecurity persists. While soldiers have achieved some tactical victories, they are often overstretched, underpaid, and ill-equipped. The Defence Minister’s recent call for more armored personnel carriers is yet another example of a government perpetually playing catch-up instead of staying ahead of threats
Nigeria is teetering on the edge. The recent killings in Plateau and Benue, the insurgency of Boko Haram, the rise of Lakurawa, and the emergence of Mahmuda all point to a nation in peril
What is more frightening, however, is the seeming indifference of the Federal Government—led by a president who appears more comfortable abroad than in confronting the crisis at home.
President Tinubu’s recent meetings with security chiefs are not enough. A complete revamp of the security architecture is long overdue. Nigerians do not just deserve better—they demand it.
If this administration cannot guarantee safety, it must be held accountable by the very people it claims to serve. In the face of bloodshed, complacency is complicity. The time for excuses has long passed.
The President must act—or history will judge him as a leader who watched while his country burned.
Kabir Abdulsalam writes from Abuja. He can be reached via: [email protected].
