Follow Us on Google
From Sunday Ani
Recent attacks in Bassa and Bokkos, Plateau State, and Benue and Borno states, claiming hundreds of lives, have sparked outrage across Nigeria.
While some attribute the violence to a calculated Fulani agenda to displace indigenous communities under the guise of herder-farmer clashes, others, including Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Prince Adewole Adebayo, blame leadership failure at the national level.
Adebayo, in an interview on April 27, criticised President Bola Tinubu for lacking the knowledge to address Nigeria’s insecurity, a crisis evident before Tinubu’s 2023 election. “He’s bereft of ideas,” Adebayo said, noting that his SDP campaigned on eradicating poverty and insecurity, which he sees as intertwined. He highlighted the persistence of insecurity since the 2014 Chibok abductions, with over 7,222 deaths in 2022 alone, and blamed poor governance for ongoing communal tensions and reprisals.
Despite Nigeria’s ₦4.4 trillion military spending from 2020 to 2025, Adebayo lamented the government’s failure in intelligence and response. He proposed a national policy for herder mobility, backed by insurance for cattle and crop losses, citing his own ranching experience in Adamawa and the South West. “I lost two cows recently, but I’m self-insured. A national insurance programme could prevent conflicts,” he said.
Other News
Addressing Boko Haram, banditry, and kidnappings, Adebayo labelled them criminal acts, not communal clashes, and criticised the government’s inaction, particularly in Bassa, where unresolved disputes fuel reprisals. Quoting Chinua Achebe, he called Tinubu “a full-fledged mascot of leadership failure”, urging him to show empathy and presence as Commander-in-Chief, not just “wear agbada and celebrate.”
Adebayo rejected claims that criticism is easier from the outside, suggesting Tinubu resign if overwhelmed, as the Constitution allows. “He hasn’t even lifted the weight; he’s just enjoying himself, doing fashion, holding the trophy,” he said, referencing weightlifters who drop unmanageable loads.
He also cautioned against calls for citizens to bear arms, as proposed by Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, warning that self-defence could lead to reckless killings. Instead, he advocated for advanced intelligence and community-aligned security justice.
