Prominent northern elder and public affairs analyst, Alhaji Dabo Sambo, has issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to immediately tackle the rising tide of insecurity and banditry plaguing the northern region.
According to Sambo, failure to address these issues could cost Tinubu a second term in the 2027 general elections.
In a press briefing with journalists, Sambo identified Nigeria’s most pressing challenge as insecurity, stressing that continued threats to lives and property in the North have created a climate of fear and economic stagnation.
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“If President Tinubu refuses to wipe out the security challenges, he will definitely not win the 2027 election,” Sambo warned, drawing a sharp comparison to the 2015 defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan which he attributed largely to unchecked insurgency and violence.
Sambo lamented the devastating impact of terrorism and banditry on agricultural productivity, particularly in the North-West and North-East regions, which contribute over 60% of Nigeria’s food supply.
“Food is scarce in Nigeria and people are hungry,” Sambo stated. “Farmers have abandoned their lands due to kidnappings and violence. This has caused a sharp decline in food production, increased prices, and triggered widespread famine.”
He further highlighted how insecurity is deepening economic woes, citing factors such as naira depreciation, rising transportation costs, and galloping inflation, which are systematically eroding the savings and livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.
Sambo emphasized that the government’s inability to guarantee basic needs—security and food—would erode political goodwill. “The era of carton noodles and salt distribution during campaigns is over,” he said. “People want security and food. Without these, they will not vote.”
He urged President Tinubu to take decisive action within the next six months to contain the security crisis and revive agricultural activities within one year, warning that failure to do so may mirror the downfall of the Jonathan administration.
