The Nigerian Presidency has firmly dismissed suggestions that the country should hand over its internal security to foreign governments, calling such proposals an act of capitulation rather than statesmanship.
The statement came in response to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who at the Plateau Unity Christmas and Praise Festival in Jos expressed concerns about the government’s ability to protect citizens. Obasanjo had stated that Nigerians have the right to seek international intervention if the government fails to provide adequate protection.
In a strongly worded response posted on X, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s security approach, insisting that the administration remains committed to securing every inch of Nigeria through a whole-of-government approach.
The Presidency accused Obasanjo of failing to address terrorism when it first emerged during his administration. Dare noted that the ideological foundations and early cells of Boko Haram emerged during Obasanjo’s civilian administration, when extremist camps were allowed to organise and consolidate.
The government characterized Nigeria’s security challenge as confronting a multilayered terrorist ecosystem that includes internationally designated terror organizations, ISIS-linked and al-Qaeda-linked franchises across the Sahel, local violent extremist groups, cross-border terrorist cells, and ideological insurgents operating in ungoverned spaces.
While acknowledging the importance of international cooperation, particularly with the United States and allied nations, the Presidency insisted that Nigeria would never surrender its sovereignty or rely on foreign governments to secure its territory. The statement emphasized that what the country needs is unity and for patriots to join hands rather than raise alarms.
President Tinubu’s security plan includes modernising military capabilities, expanding intelligence-led operations, restoring governance in underserved regions, and promoting counter-radicalisation initiatives.
The Presidency urged former leaders to support ongoing security efforts instead of issuing comments that could undermine national morale.
