IKUBESE URGES TINUBU TO CONFRONT INSECURITY DIRECTLY, ABANDON PROPAGANDA

Former presidential aspirant and convener of the YesWeFit Revolutionary Movement, Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, has urged President Bola Tinubu to confront insecurity in Nigeria decisively, warning that propaganda or diplomatic gestures without genuine political will would be “a voyage in futility.”

Ikubese’s comments follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had instructed the U.S. Defense Department to prepare for possible rapid military action in Nigeria amid reports of widespread killings and alleged attacks on Christians.

In a statement made available to journalists in Akure, Ikubese criticized the longstanding approach of Nigerian leaders in handling terrorism and banditry.

“For several years, our political leaders have allowed bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists to operate unhindered across virtually all the states in Nigeria,” he said, citing instances where security operatives who had successfully surrounded or apprehended criminals were allegedly ordered to release them. He added that many security personnel had lost their lives because they were restrained from engaging terrorists when necessary.

Ikubese referenced a recent statement by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, who lamented that he knew the locations of terrorists but was powerless to act because state governments do not control security agencies. He also condemned videos showing hundreds of heavily armed terrorists, some in military camouflage, arriving for “peace negotiations” with government officials.

He noted that the political class seems to have normalized these developments, prompting calls for U.S. intervention — a move that reportedly triggered Trump’s threat of military action.

“What Nigerians want is a safe nation where individuals can practice their faith without fear and travel across the country without the threat of kidnapping,” Ikubese said, adding that such conditions would have made Trump’s warning unnecessary.

Reacting to the Nigerian government’s recent appeal for U.S. military support rather than being designated a “Country of Particular Concern,” Ikubese insisted that foreign aid alone is insufficient.

“Far above military support, Nigeria needs political will,” he stressed. “Even if the U.S. provides the best equipment and intelligence, political will is required to deploy them effectively.”

He urged President Tinubu to immediately convene all service chiefs and issue explicit directives to dismantle terrorist networks and their sponsors, regardless of their proximity to power.

“Throwing shades at the American government, embarking on propaganda, or seeking an audience with President Trump without taking decisive action will amount to futility,” he warned. “If the Nigerian government had done the needful, President Trump would have no reason to put the Pentagon on alert.”