Tinubu’s Aide Bwala Insists Insecurity Not Worsening Despite Fresh Terrorist Attacks

Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said insecurity in Nigeria is not worsening, insisting that the Federal Government is making efforts to address the situation.

Bwala made the remark despite recent incidents of renewed terrorist attacks across the country, including kidnappings and assaults on communities.

On Wednesday, suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists reportedly abducted more than 100 women and children during an attack on Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attackers were also said to have killed the town’s chief imam, several community elders and soldiers shortly after Muslims broke their fast on the day of the incident.

Speaking on Head to Head with Mehdi Hasan at Conway Hall in London, Bwala said the Nigerian government was doing its best to contain insecurity.

“I acknowledge the fact that we have insecurity in Nigeria, and until the hoax narrative of the ‘Christian genocide,’ we began to see back-to-back attacks in the country. For the first two years of the present administration, we experienced substantial peace in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that no country in the world was completely free from insecurity.

“There is no country in the world today that is completely free from insecurity. There are parts of London where you cannot go in the evening,” Bwala stated.

The presidential aide also said Nigeria was collaborating with other countries to tackle terrorism.

“That is one of the reasons the President travelled to Turkey, where we reached a bilateral agreement to deal with insecurity. That is also why we are cooperating with the United States and other countries of the world,” he said.

According to him, terrorism has become a global challenge since the September 11 attacks, requiring international cooperation to address.

“I can’t say it is getting worse. As a government, we are working day and night to deal with the situation. I don’t agree to the fact that it is getting worse,” he insisted.

Bwala also accused Western media of portraying Nigeria and Africa negatively, saying their narratives often focus on the negative aspects of developments in the region.

Highlighting efforts by the government, he said security forces had arrested leaders of Boko Haram and the Lakurawa group months before former US President Donald Trump made comments on insecurity in Nigeria.

He added that the government had also declared a national emergency on insecurity around April or May 2025 as part of measures to confront the challenge.

While addressing the rise in kidnappings, Bwala acknowledged that the situation had evolved into what he described as a “crime economy,” but maintained that the government was actively working to tackle it.

According to him, initiatives such as the Safe Schools Initiative were introduced to protect students, including relocating children from vulnerable communities to safer locations so they can continue their education without fear.