The abduction of 38 schoolchildren in Ahoro-Esiele Community, Oyo State, on May 15, with one teacher killed, has sent shockwaves through the nation. The Nigerian Union of Teachers and students have protested, and the pain is real. But as the country grapples with this tragedy, there’s a dangerous game afoot: using such horrors as political ammunition ahead of 2027. That must stop.
I know the trauma firsthand. In April, my cook was kidnapped in broad daylight in Kabba, Kogi State, while traveling from Lagos to Abuja. He was one of 18 passengers in a Chisco Transport bus abducted at gunpoint. He spent 13 days in captivity before a coordinated effort with the Kogi State Commissioner of Police secured his release. The ordeal he described, with captors mostly Fulani and only one speaking basic English, was harrowing. The families’ struggle to secure their loved ones’ freedom is unspeakable.
Some believe the government is helpless. That’s wrong. President Bola Tinubu sees insecurity as an existential threat. After the Oriire abduction, he dispatched a high-powered delegation led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, including National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa, to comfort the victims’ families. Security agents are working to trace the kidnappers, secure the children’s release, and bring the criminals to justice.
There are signs the government is close to securing the safe return of the abducted children and teachers. The government has not abdicated its duty. It continues to strengthen security nationwide. To those sponsoring or exploiting kidnapping for political gain: your days are numbered. The government will find you.
The administration’s strategy rests on two legs: kinetic and non-kinetic. On the kinetic side, it’s moved from capacity building to precision targeting. The national security architecture has been reset with a new counterterrorism doctrine focused on unified command, intelligence gathering, community stability, and counterinsurgency.
Nigeria’s partnership with the United States has shifted from training to real-time intelligence fusion and precision strikes. In 2024, Nigerian Air Force strike precision rose to 67 percent, up from 41 percent in 2022. A joint Nigeria-US strike in Arege, Borno State, degraded ISWAP’s command center, killing 21 terrorists, including three middle-level commanders. On May 16, both President Tinubu and President Trump confirmed that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, alleged second-in-command of ISIS globally, was killed in a joint operation in the Lake Chad area.
Last year, the Defence Headquarters announced that armed forces neutralized over 13,000 terrorists, arrested 4,375 suspects, convicted 124, and saw over 124,000 fighters and dependents surrender. In November, President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency, designated bandits as terrorists, and ordered the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers, raising total recruits to 50,000, plus new military and SSS recruitment. Last week, he approved 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State.
Non-kinetic strategies remain active. Over 124,000 insurgents and dependents have exited through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023. President Tinubu frames insecurity as foreign to our culture and an economic drag, tying security to the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification and human capital.
The appointment of General Adeyinka Famadewa (rtd) as special adviser on Homeland Security has sparked controversy, with some claiming it undermines NSA Ribadu. That’s false. The appointment is about putting more hands on deck. NSA Ribadu remains a key ally and in charge of national security. All hands must be on deck to end this menace.
