The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of failing to tackle the country’s security challenges.
Lawal, who served as SGF under late President Muhammadu Buhari, made this remark during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today Programme on Monday, November 10.
Speaking on the programme, Babachir Lawal said Tinubu’s government is not interested in tackling insecurity, arguing that before the President came on board in May 2023, Adamawa, a North-Eastern state, was relatively peaceful.
He, however, claimed that two years into this administration, the security situation had worsened.
He compared Tinubu’s administration to previous governments of Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, saying the latter performed better than the former.
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Lawal also took a swipe at the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, saying that he [Lawal] had yet to see efforts made to tackle killings and other security threats.
He lamented that some Nigerian soldiers were being killed in the theatre of operations, calling for decisive action to address the insecurity
“Past governments were better, more accommodating. They served Nigerians better in terms of equity, an intention to fight corruption, and fairness and justice. Even in the sense of insecurity, Goodluck Jonathan fought insecurity. Buhari took over and did; this government is not interested in that.
“I don’t see what work he [Ribadu] is doing. If I see what work he is doing, I will tell you. If I see the results of what they are doing, I will say it. It won’t hurt me.
“I know soldiers are out there, some are losing their lives, quite a lot of them are from my community who have come back dead. I know them. Why are they losing their lives? Because the system that ought to support them has failed.
“When you send the soldier into the battle with an old, antiquated rifle that can only hold 20 ammunition and is facing an enemy that has one kilometre of bullets, you shoot one, and it jams.
“Our time was better; better arms were procured. We had the advantage that our own was a soldier. Our Head of State understood the issues, and he did well. Maybe he [Tinubu] is not interested,” Lawal added.
