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Ojudu’s comments follow growing concerns over the government’s handling of security, amid rising casualties and displacement across several states in the last few weeks.

A former presidential aide, Babafemi Ojudu, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s escalating security crisis, warning that continued failure to address it could threaten the nation’s democratic stability.

Ojudu made the remarks on Tuesday and called on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent and decisive action.

“I’m a member of the APC [ruling party] and I shouldn’t be seen to be deliberately going out to criticise a president elected on the platform of my party. But let me just say a bit of the truth here, even if I’ll be condemned by members of my party,” Ojudu said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

“I think the security situation is worrisome, and I’m not happy with the way it’s being handled. It is being treated as if it’s a skirmish between two policemen or some bad boys on the street. The President must sit up. This is a serious challenge to the existence of this country.”

The senator, who represented Ekiti Central, criticised the administration’s response as inadequate, referencing the recent violence in parts of Benue, Plateau, and Kogi states.

“You go to the North-Central, the North-East, the North-West—even places as close to Yorubaland as Kogi and Kwara—bandits are already on the rampage,” he said.

“The President needs to wake up and find solutions. All these palliatives about going to a hall in Benue State to talk to people or crack jokes is not the solution.”

Ojudu urged the President to issue direct orders to the military and security agencies to produce a coordinated master plan.

“He should hand a marching order to military officials, police hierarchy, the army, navy, air force, and intelligence agencies to come together and come up with a master plan to quickly solve these problems,” the former lawmaker said.

Threat To Democracy, Risk 2027 Re-election
He warned that failure to act on insecurity could threaten democracy and risk a return to military rule.

“His advisers should tell him plainly. If he doesn’t, it will threaten democracy. We don’t want to go back to a military era. We don’t want to start running into exile or being jailed. Let him quickly solve this problem before it destroys our democracy,” he said.

Ojudu warned that the security situation, if left unchecked, could be manipulated for political ends as the 2027 elections approach.

“If these things continue until the election, we don’t know what use those people (violent actors) might be put to. That, in itself, threatens the very fabric of our society. I’m worried—very, very worried,” the APC chieftain said.

“The way things are going—people being slaughtered, kidnapped—it’s not by sitting in Abuja and pretending all is well. Something has to be done. Things are not going well.”

Asked to react to a statement by legal luminary Olisa Agbakoba, who questioned the feasibility of recent reforms within Nigeria’s centralised governance structure, Ojudu expressed agreement and concern.

“I agree. We have to think within the context of our structure. My surprise is that—knowing President Tinubu to be a believer in restructuring—the way things are being run now, it seems power is being further consolidated at the federal level.

“Development commissions are springing up everywhere. We don’t need all of these. Instead, we are again putting more power in the hands of the federal government,” he added.


Rising Violence, Insecurity

Ojudu’s comments follow growing concerns over the government’s handling of security, amid rising casualties across several states in the last few weeks.

Benue State, located in Nigeria’s North-Central zone, has in recent months experienced a surge in deadly attacks, especially in Yelewata and surrounding communities.

Over 100 people were killed in two months, with rights groups suggesting the figure could be higher. A recent overnight raid left scores dead and displaced thousands of residents.

In response, President Tinubu visited the state, directing security chiefs to take decisive action and mandating intelligence agencies to enhance surveillance. The peace-building committee announced by the president, comprising traditional rulers, including the Tor Tiv V and the Och’Idoma, has begun its peace talks.

Despite these measures, criticism persists over the slow pace of response and coordination among security operatives.

Further highlighting the security landscape, 12 travellers from Kaduna State were lynched by a mob in Plateau State while en route to a wedding over the weekend.

The act was condemned by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who stressed that “pain and suffering must not justify violence against innocent commuters.”

Kaduna Governor Uba Sani described the killings as an “act of savagery” and vowed justice. President Tinubu also issued a statement, affirming that freedom of movement is “non-negotiable” for all Nigerians.

https://www.channelstv.com/2025/06/24/insecurity-ojudu-asks-tinubu-to-sit-up-says-democracy-under-threat/

Nlfpmod

Nice one! This is how it should be. Your loyalty should be to the country and not to the president. The country is gravely sick and needs help.

Tinubu has A1 is politics, but the odè is olodo rabata in academics, governance and very corrupt.

I have consistently maintained that the more we pull people out of poverty, the more we reduce criminality, and the reverse is also true. You can not separate security from human development; they are inextricably linked.

The criminality we witness in Nigeria today is not a coincidence or an accident. It is the cumulative outcome of decades of misplaced priorities, the direct consequence of poor governance, mismanagement of public resources, monumental corruption, and systemic neglect.

I have consistently maintained that development is not about awarding billion-naira contracts for white elephant projects or building structures without soul or purpose. Real development means investing in the critical areas of human development that directly impact human capital: education, healthcare, and poverty eradication.

A country where nearly 100 million citizens live in extreme poverty and over 140 million experience multidimensional poverty will inevitably face a serious security crisis.

Interestingly, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, recently affirmed this when he rightly stated: “You cannot fight insecurity with bullets alone. You must address the root causes, poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and injustice.” This is not coming from a politician but from the nation’s top military commander. Even the boots on the ground know the battle can not be won by force alone. We must win it through human dignity, opportunity, and justice.

Decades earlier, the great Mallam Aminu Kano, a man of vision and conscience, warned us: “The problem with Nigeria is that we abandon the masses and then criminalise their hunger.” His words still ring true today.

A child out of school today becomes vulnerable to manipulation and extremism tomorrow. A family that goes to bed hungry becomes a breeding ground for resentment. A community without access to clean water, primary healthcare, or opportunity becomes a powder keg waiting to explode.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta reminds us that "When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.” We can not keep reacting to crises self-inflicted by bad leadership and policy failure. It is time to disrupt this cycle. We must prioritise productive investment in critical sectors, education, health, and agriculture. These are not just economic priorities; they are national security imperatives.

We can not continue with business as usual. Every naira we invest in people today is one less bullet we need to fire tomorrow. That is the real meaning of security. That is how we build a new Nigeria that is possible.

-PO

Ojuju Calabar don make comment. Thank you for your attention on this matter.

Will he ever listen? He shouldn't even be sitting up, he should leave!

It's not about sitting up, You can't give what you don't have ...

But let me just say a bit of the truth here, even if I’ll be condemned by members of my party,” Ojudu said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

“I think the security situation is worrisome, and I’m not happy with the way it’s being handled. The President must sit up. This is a serious challenge to the existence of this country.”

The man speaks the truth, but agbado miscreants hate to hear someone speak the truth.

Poor border control is the major cause of insecurity. Nigeria govt need to restrict the borders, NORTH, south, east and west.

It seems Tinubu's sycophants have blocked his memory and thinking, because his praise singer keeps calling him Jagaban and the lord of Nigerian politics. It seems that is making him underestimate the Nigerian voter and overestimate himself.
Okay, it will be a big and great shock when he loses. The insecurity issue is gradually getting to a point where the only message anyone opposing him needs to say is that they will improve security, and 80% of voters will rush to vote for that person.
As the matter stands today, ANY CANDIDATE WILL BEAT TINUBU FROM ANY STRONG OPPOSITION. Tinubu has 12 months more to fix the insecurity issue and problem; otherwise, na bye bye. all those politicians decamping to apc are not going to help him; they are decamping for their political future and survival

it has nothing to do with the border, it has to do with the internal security architecture, and what is even making it annoying is the president body language and I don't care attitude. We're dey, 2027 is just around the corner. history always has a way of repeating itself

Dosvedanie:
Poor border control is the major cause of insecurity. Nigeria govt need to restrict the borders, NORTH, south, east and west.

Oga Ojudu thank you for recognizing that Tinubu is a joke or a joker as the case may be.
Obasanjo made jokes but you could atleast see some level efforts and achievements here and there. Tinubu is a joker with zero achievements in Economy and Security.

ybalogs:
I have consistently maintained that the more we pull people out of poverty, the more we reduce criminality, and the reverse is also true. You can not separate security from human development; they are inextricably linked.

The criminality we witness in Nigeria today is not a coincidence or an accident. It is the cumulative outcome of decades of misplaced priorities, the direct consequence of poor governance, mismanagement of public resources, monumental corruption, and systemic neglect.

I have consistently maintained that development is not about awarding billion-naira contracts for white elephant projects or building structures without soul or purpose. Real development means investing in the critical areas of human development that directly impact human capital: education, healthcare, and poverty eradication.

A country where nearly 100 million citizens live in extreme poverty and over 140 million experience multidimensional poverty will inevitably face a serious security crisis.

Interestingly, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, recently affirmed this when he rightly stated: “You cannot fight insecurity with bullets alone. You must address the root causes, poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and injustice.” This is not coming from a politician but from the nation’s top military commander. Even the boots on the ground know the battle can not be won by force alone. We must win it through human dignity, opportunity, and justice.

Decades earlier, the great Mallam Aminu Kano, a man of vision and conscience, warned us: “The problem with Nigeria is that we abandon the masses and then criminalise their hunger.” His words still ring true today.

A child out of school today becomes vulnerable to manipulation and extremism tomorrow. A family that goes to bed hungry becomes a breeding ground for resentment. A community without access to clean water, primary healthcare, or opportunity becomes a powder keg waiting to explode.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta reminds us that "When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.” We can not keep reacting to crises self-inflicted by bad leadership and policy failure. It is time to disrupt this cycle. We must prioritise productive investment in critical sectors, education, health, and agriculture. These are not just economic priorities; they are national security imperatives.

We can not continue with business as usual. Every naira we invest in people today is one less bullet we need to fire tomorrow. That is the real meaning of security. That is how we build a new Nigeria that is possible.

-PO

The way he pulled Anambra out of poverty and the state is Dubai right now

Tinubu no sabi anything likewise his foot soldiers

Bayo will soon be on your case saying the truth to the current powers that be is irritating to him and others around the president who believe that all criticism is a plot to undermine the Tinubu government

Will agbadorians agree with this sensible man..this man is not hungry like themoo but he chose to speak truth to his own party and tribesman

Amitex:
Tinubu has A1 is politics, but the odè is olodo rabata in academics, governance and very corrupt.

You didnt add the oju eja lo man je, ko ni lo paper, sileti lo man lo.