A political and current Affairs analyst, Mr. Ifeanyi Izeze, has decried the recent viral video wherein Fulani terrorists was seen mocking the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
Nigeria’s security landscape continues to expose the fragility of its governance structures, with recent events highlighting a worrying disconnect between policy pronouncements and operational realities.
The viral video of abducted Kebbi schoolgirls released by Fulani terrorists underscores the depth of this crisis.
It revealed the limitations of President Tinubu’s administration in curbing the nation’s escalating insecurity.
On 24 November, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, appeared on Arise Television to provide a security update concerning recent mass kidnappings, including the abduction of schoolchildren from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State.
In a statement that would shock any security-conscious nation, Onanuga disclosed that the government possessed “detailed intelligence” on the identities and locations of these bandit groups.
He, however, claimed that military intervention was constrained because terrorists hide among civilians or use abducted victims as human shields.
He explained: “You can’t just go there. They need to be very careful… They go about abducting our people and use them as a shield so they will not be attacked.”
Usurpation of roles
The problem, as Ifeanyi Izeze observes, is that such disclosures are neither the purview nor the responsibility of a political aide.
Operational intelligence and military strategy are traditionally communicated by the National Security Adviser, the Defence Headquarters, or designated military spokespeople.
By taking this role upon himself, Onanuga not only blurred the lines between political communication and national security but also handed terrorists a blueprint to exploit governmental weaknesses.
In effect, the Nigerian Presidency, through the mouth of an aide, broadcast operational constraints to those seeking to undermine the state.
Zooming in on this misstep, Izeze argues that loose talk from government officials transforms national security into a public liability.
Revealing limitations of counterterrorism operations invites abuse, as criminal networks adapt their tactics to exploit these vulnerabilities.
Onanuga’s statement, whether inadvertent or poorly considered, signals to insurgents that abducting civilians and clustering near settlements provides immunity from military action.
This amounts to a perilous precedent for a nation already grappling with routine kidnappings and extortion.
This pattern of mismanagement extends beyond communication.
Why were these networks not interdicted?
While Onanuga claimed that intelligence agencies had successfully tracked kidnappers and maintained contact, the critical question remains: Why were these networks not interdicted?
Effective counterinsurgency prioritizes immediate capture or neutralization once targets are identified.
The Presidency publicly admitted to ongoing contact without any corresponding action.
It undermined its credibility, and also conveys operational paralysis, leaving Nigerians questioning the efficacy of the government’s security apparatus.
The humiliation inflicted on the nation reached a new peak with the release of a viral video by the abductors.
In the footage, the schoolgirls, under armed supervision, were asked to confirm the date and assure viewers they had not been harmed.
The terrorists taunted the government directly: “Since you were kidnapped, how many jets came to rescue you?
“You see that the government could not rescue you. Your release has nothing to do with the government.
“We are releasing you because we are in discussions with important people.”
Presidency’s failure to assert authority
Such brazen contempt exposes the Presidency’s inability to assert authority, allowing terrorists to operate as parallel governance entities that kidnap, negotiate, and collect ransom on their own terms.
Izeze notes that the administration’s response has done little to restore confidence.
President Tinubu’s declaration of a “State of Emergency on Security” came with a directive to “massively recruit” police and military personnel.
While increased manpower is important, it does not address the core challenges of mis-deployment, poor coordination, and resource mismanagement.
Reports indicate that soldiers are spread across the Southeast and South-South regions on operations of questionable strategic value.
Meanwhile, in the Niger Delta, personnel are allegedly involved in illicit oil activities.
These examples highlight a systemic misalignment between force deployment and actual threat zones, questioning the efficacy of current security policy.
Furthermore, attempts to frame partial successes—such as the release of abducted individuals—as trophies only reinforce the perception of incompetence.
Governance in crisis
Izeze cited a release by the Atiku Media Office, saying: “The release of abducted Nigerians is not a trophy moment.
“It is a damning reminder that terrorists now operate freely, negotiate openly, and dictate terms while this administration issues press statements to save face.”
By presenting failures as achievements, the government risks normalizing terror as a negotiable enterprise rather than a threat to national sovereignty.
The underlying issue, Izeze asserts, is that Nigeria’s insecurity is not a manpower problem alone.
It is a governance crisis. Mismanagement, operational opacity, and lack of accountability continue to erode public trust.
Manpower without strategy or discipline is insufficient; resources must be effectively deployed, operations coordinated, and leadership held accountable.
Without these corrections, additional personnel will not stem the tide of insecurity.
National indictment
In conclusion, Izeze stated that the viral video of the Kebbi schoolgirls is more than a media spectacle; it is a national indictment.
It exposes the following:
- a government struggling to assert authority over its territory,
- a security apparatus constrained by mismanagement and miscommunication, and,
- a political class ill-prepared to address existential threats.
Nigeria cannot be governed by excuses or public relations maneuvers.
As Ifeanyi Izeze emphatically warns, the state must stop enabling terrorists through incompetence and naivety.
The nation’s sovereignty, dignity, and future security depend on urgent reforms, clear command structures, and operational integrity.
“God will not allow this country to be put to shame, but the government must act decisively to prevent it, he concluded.
