Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to adopt advanced technological measures, including the use of drones, to eliminate criminal elements responsible for the rising insecurity across Nigeria.
Speaking on Friday at the Plateau State Unity Christmas Carol event, Obasanjo expressed deep concern over the government’s perceived inability to protect citizens, emphasizing that Nigerians from all regions, religions, and ethnicities have been equally affected by violence.
“The mass and mindless killings, kidnappings, and banditry we are witnessing did not begin with this administration or the one before it, but they have continued to escalate,” Obasanjo stated. “If our government cannot fulfil its primary duty of protecting lives, citizens have the right to seek international assistance.”
Obasanjo challenged the current administration to move beyond negotiations and apologies, urging the immediate and tactical use of drones to target and neutralize armed groups. He recalled that during his tenure, intelligence agencies could identify criminals but lacked the remote capability to act. “Now we have the technology—we can use drones to take them out not doing it?” he questioned.
The former president’s remarks come amid growing public frustration over persistent violence and recent mass abductions. He stressed that prayer alone is insufficient and called for concrete action from leaders at all levels.
In response to these concerns, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, acknowledged that security agencies are aware of the identities and locations of bandit groups but must exercise caution to avoid harming innocent civilians during operations.
Meanwhile, Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, criticized the federal government’s security strategy, arguing that a reformed and depoliticized Nigeria Police Force could effectively tackle terrorism and banditry without external support.
The Tinubu administration continues to face pressure to reevaluate its approach to national security as attacks persist in multiple regions.
