A prominent Nigerian senator has urged President Bola Tinubu to deprioritise 2027 election politics and immediately concentrate on resolving the nation’s severe security crisis, following deadly bombings in Borno State.
Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, issued the call after explosions struck Maiduguri, the state capital, on Monday. The attacks, attributed to the extremist group Boko Haram, resulted in 23 fatalities. Ndume argued that the government’s primary duty is the welfare and safety of citizens, a responsibility he said is being neglected amid political preoccupations.
“We seem to have abandoned the people for politics. The people that will vote are dying,” Ndume stated. He directly appealed to the president to “concentrate on governance” and address security and welfare first, warning that a government failing in these basic functions becomes “their enemy.”
The senator criticised President Tinubu’s response to the tragedy, describing a presidential press statement as insufficient given the scale of loss. He suggested that if the president cannot visit Borno himself, he should dispatch Vice President Kashim Shettima to provide tangible assurance to affected communities. Ndume framed the situation as a “state of emergency” requiring conspicuous and convincing action from the leadership.
Furthermore, Ndume called on security agencies to enhance intelligence and investigative operations to prevent future attacks. He cited reports that one explosive device was detonated from a registered tricycle, asserting that a thorough investigation could trace the ownership and identify those responsible for the bombings.
Borno State, in Nigeria’s Northeast, has been the epicentre of a 14-year insurgency by Boko Haram, which seeks to establish an Islamic state. While the group’s operational capacity has been reduced from its peak, it continues to conduct lethal asymmetrical attacks, particularly against soft targets. The region also faces acute humanitarian challenges, with millions displaced and grappling with food insecurity.
The senator’s intervention highlights a recurring tension in Nigerian public discourse between political cycles and persistent security emergencies. His demand for a strategic shift underscores the profound public anxiety over safety in the Northeast and the perceived urgency of the crisis amid national governance challenges. The effectiveness of the government’s response remains under intense scrutiny, particularly regarding its capacity to protect civilians from recurrent violence.
