Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed has said the Nigeria Police can eliminate Boko Haram and banditry within two months if freed from corruption and political interference, sparking renewed criticism of Bola Tinubu’s security strategy.
Datti made the remarks on Arise News while reacting to Tinubu’s newly declared national security emergency, which centred on mass recruitment and rapid expansion of security agencies.
In the viral clip shared by X user AsakyGRN on Friday, Datti said, “Nigeria Police alone can wipe out Boko Haram and bandits in two months.”
He added, “Remove corruption and political interests, and give them all the support they want; they’ll do it.”
In the full interview, Datti argued that Tinubu “missed it completely” by focusing on adding new recruits instead of confronting entrenched corruption and political protection for criminal networks.
He said, “It is not about numbers because remove the Nigerian armed forces, the Nigerian police alone can wipe out insecurity and banditry in two months.”
The video has triggered widespread public debate, with many commenters insisting that insecurity persists because powerful figures profit from chaos.
One user wrote, “Facts only, Nigeria’s problem has never been security; it has always been those benefiting from insecurity.”
Another said, “Corruption is the real commander-in-chief of terrorists in this country.”
The remarks emerged a day after Tinubu unveiled sweeping measures to address nationwide violence, including hiring 20,000 police officers and expanding the army.
Tinubu also announced aggressive operations in forests, shoot-on-sight orders for armed criminals and a controversial advisory discouraging the siting of schools in remote regions.
Critics say the approach is reactive and cosmetic, noting that mass abductions and deadly attacks continued even after the declaration.
READ MORE: Insecurity is Part of APC; It Has Been APC’s Way of Getting and Staying in Power—Datti Baba-Ahmed
Datti said solutions lie in political courage rather than military theatrics, insisting the police can succeed “if you remove that corruption, remove political interest.”
Nigerians on X echoed similar sentiments, with many alleging that those sponsoring insecurity remain untouched by the government.
Some users argued that the police are undermined by poor welfare, weak autonomy and the diversion of resources by senior officials.
Others mocked the government’s narrative, pointing to the continuous deterioration of security despite repeated announcements of new reforms.
Datti’s criticism aligns with long-standing Labour Party positions that blame insecurity on governance failures rather than manpower shortages.
His comments also resonate with supporters of Peter Obi, who has repeatedly argued that Nigeria’s security institutions suffer from corruption, weak leadership and compromised intelligence systems.
Tinubu has yet to directly address Datti’s claims or the wave of reactions the clip generated.
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