Do you know that, “President Tinubu asked Jonathan to resign in 2013, 2014?”
The daily news that almost all media houses report has something relating to deal with insecurity across the nations. What used to happen in the north has become a reality in the southern part of Nigeria. This barbaric killings keep causing fear, heartache, leaves family childless, orphans, some left unable to talk, some lost all sense of living after the aftermath of each attacks. It was reported some months back that one of the victims said she saw how her child was sliced into two in her presence. One question in the heart of Nigerians, what is the government doing as to the insecurity ravaging the country.
Past criticisms and present questions
Before President Tinubu came into power, at various intervals repeatedly urged former president, Goodluck Jonathan, to resign over Boko Haram attacks before coming into power. Two years into his tenure, however, questions are being raised as to whether Tinubu has made any difference.
Few days ago, the wife of former President Jonathan’s, Patience Jonathan video of her crying, lamenting to insecurity went viral again, some netizens said that she wasn't perfect during her husband entire yet she showed sign of empathy as to what was going on but this current government’s focus seems to be the 2027 elections.
Past statements by Tinubu
In March 2013, Tinubu called on Jonathan to immediately resign for his failure to curtail the worsening insecurity challenges bedevilling the country.
“If it is happening in these other states for some of these years and you have not gathered enough intelligence to nip it in the bud you have failed, please resign, you cannot continue to blame one IGP or the other,” he said.
In November 2014, Tinubu, who was the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Jonathan’s administration lacked the wherewithal to tackle the country’s security challenges.
Tinubu said, “I saw the sea of refugees caused by the Boko Haram insurgents and the lies coming from Jonathan’s administration. They have exhibited failure, lack of capacity, vision and creativity. The lies of yesterday are what they repeat today and are what they will repeat tomorrow. They are lying to you.”
Tinubu who accused the Jonathan government of lying and toying with the security said: “I don’t have time to explain the logic of their lies."
In one of his statements, he said, “If you control the armed forces and you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, why should any part of this country be under occupation? And you give us excuses every day. In any civilised country Jonathan should have resigned. But if he will not resign, he should wait for our broom, we will sweep him away.
“The thieves that daily steal your money have not given you any job, they cannot create jobs, and they are starving states of funds to pay workers’ salaries. The best thing to do is to sweep them away through broom revolution. APC is a party of the masses.
“It now behoves on you to begin a house-to-house campaign that this is a party of the masses.”
Campaign promises and expectations
After emerging as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections, in June 2022, Tinubu promised to eliminate criminals, including terrorists. “They have been worrying us, but we will eliminate them. We are Nigerians. We are sure that no animal in the darkness of the night, no intruders, no destroyers, can bring Nigeria backward.
“On security, my policy is not artificial, created to sound good for this campaign. Our security policy is based on dedicated study and long conversations with experts in this field.”
Tinubu was sworn in as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Monday, May 29.
In his inaugural speech on May 29, he also pledged to prioritise security and effectively tackle the menace of insecurity.
“Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.
“To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security Doctrine and its Architecture.
“We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide better training, equipment, pay and firepower,” the President stated.
Data, reports and ongoing violence
However, Amnesty International (AI) on June 14, 2023, said more than 120 people were killed a few days after Tinubu assumed power.
According to International Centre For Investigative Reporting, their data showed that the security situation did not change under his administration, as over 600 people were killed under him within 45 days between May 29 and July 13, 2023.
According to the data, the killings happened primarily from activities of non-state actors like bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, ethnic militias, armed robbers and other non-state actors.
In June 2024, frustrated after marking one year in office battling increasing insecurity, Tinubu vowed revenge against terrorists condemning the bomb attacks in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
At least 2,336 people were killed in various violent attacks within the first three months of 2024, according to data sourced and analysed by The ICIR. This shows an approximate average of 26 persons killed daily between January 2024 and the end of March 2024.
Also in March, over 100 students were kidnapped in Kuriga town in Kaduna state. The incident generated public outrage among Nigerians.
Insecurity continued unabated, resulting in more than 4,556 fatalities and 7,086 abductions between 29 May 2023 and 22 May 2024, according to the ICIR data.
A nation under pressure
There was a viral video of a secondary school student who was seen carrying a machete or cutlass to school, supposedly for protection and self-defense. It means a young boy, around 16 or 17 years old, now feels he can’t find safety without taking a cutlass or machete to school to guard against attacks happening in his community.
This shows how far Nigerians have been pushed. It’s one of the reasons people take to social media to lament and even call on other countries to help save them in their own country. I think it’s high time the Nigerian government become honest with itself and admitted that things are not well at home.
Instead of focusing on the 2027 elections, they should channel their energy into tackling insecurity. The government needs to act fast. If President Tinubu had kept the promises he made during his campaign, maybe we wouldn’t be here. The problem isn’t just insecurity, the economic hardship is crushing people too. Nigerians still compare fuel prices under Jonathan’s regime to what we have now.
The President needs to wake up. It’s high time he started calling for foreign aid, bringing in field experts from other countries to help fight insecurity. Nigeria is gradually sinking. Nigeria is blessed, but Nigeria is bleeding, and we cannot keep bleeding while these unpatriotic elements keep wreaking havoc in society. Let everyone who can, rise to stop this. Nigeria is bleeding.
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