The Labour Party’s 2023 Vice-Presidential Candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, on Thursday criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent declaration of a nationwide security emergency, saying the Federal Government’s approach does not address the root causes of insecurity in the country.
Baba-Ahmed, who spoke during a programme on Arise News, said the decision to rapidly recruit tens of thousands of additional security personnel was misplaced.
He argued that Nigeria’s security challenges stem largely from corruption and political interference within the security system, rather than a shortage of manpower.
“It is not about numbers. It is about reducing corruption in the war against insecurity itself,” he said.
He questioned how much of the funds allocated for security operations in the 2024 budget were being deployed to actual field operations, alleging that a significant portion was diverted for political purposes or private enrichment.
According to him, eliminating corruption and political influence would enable the Nigeria Police Force to decisively confront terrorism and banditry.
“Once you remove that, Nigeria will become secure. The Nigerian police alone can wipe out insecurity and banditry in two months if given full support,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed’s comments followed President Tinubu’s directive on Wednesday ordering the security agencies to embark on large-scale recruitment to curb the rising spate of attacks and kidnappings across the country.
The President also announced plans for the police to recruit an additional 20,000 personnel, bringing total new intake to 50,000.
Tinubu further urged state governments to reconsider siting boarding schools in remote and poorly secured areas, following recent mass abductions of students and teachers in Niger, Kebbi and other states.
But Baba-Ahmed faulted the advice, warning that such a position could allow criminal groups to influence national policy on education.
“That is deadly. That is wrong. I wish President Tinubu can hear this very quickly,” he said.
He maintained that government should instead expand access to education in vulnerable communities.
“If I have money, I will build in the rural areas,” he said, adding that teachers and school administrators were already engaged in what he described as “a silent war” to keep the education system functioning.
Baba-Ahmed insisted that halting the establishment of schools in rural communities would undermine national development.
“For the commander-in-chief to say, stop building in rural areas… remote, populated, unpopulated, whatever it is, continue to build,” he said.
Nigeria is currently grappling with increasing cases of abductions, rural attacks and school kidnappings, raising renewed concerns about safety, access to education and the overall direction of the country’s security strategy.
