A Senior Fellow at the Centre for Democracy and Development, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s handling of insecurity, saying it is worse than that of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, Ibrahim recalled that Tinubu had strongly criticised Jonathan over the abduction of schoolchildren in 2014 but has now found himself presiding over an even more severe security crisis.
He noted that many Nigerians once believed insecurity would end when former President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired army general, assumed office. According to him, that hope was dashed as insecurity continued to worsen under Buhari’s leadership.
Ibrahim said the past year has been particularly difficult for Nigerians, pointing to what he described as the state’s failure or unwillingness to fulfil its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.
He argued that the steady rise in armed violence since 2009 reflects a sustained lack of effective response by the Nigerian state, noting that civilians now openly acquire and use weapons against communities, road users, and even security forces with little consequence.
According to him, the persistent failure to control illegal arms has emboldened criminals and deepened the crisis.
Ibrahim described the situation as deeply troubling, adding that Nigeria has yet to see a government with the political will, determination, and capacity to decisively tackle the growing insecurity across the country.
