President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has defended the Federal Government’s approach to tackling rising insecurity in northern Nigeria while criticising former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over comments seen as supporting potential U.S military involvement in the country.
Speaking on ARISE News’ Prime Time on Monday, Onanuga stated that security agencies are fully aware of the bandit groups behind the mass abductions plaguing the North, including the recent attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
He stressed, however, that launching direct strikes on the camps is risky because abducted civilians are often used as shields.
“The security agencies know the bandits operating in that region. They know their identities and their locations,” Onanuga said.
He added that previous operational errors, such as civilian casualties during airstrikes in Borno, make commanders extremely cautious.
Onanuga noted that authorities are still trying to verify the exact number of missing students, saying the lack of a proper register and the disappearance of the school principal have slowed rescue operations.
He also highlighted government efforts to strengthen security capacity, including proposals to reassign a large number of police officers currently attached to VIPs.
“We read today that about 100,000 policemen are guarding VIPs. Deploying some of them to vulnerable areas would make a significant difference,” he said.
Onanuga assured the public that President Tinubu is taking the situation seriously and is expected to address the nation after further consultations with security chiefs.
Onanuga also condemned remarks by Peter Obi, who was seen in a resurfaced video saying he would welcome military intervention by former U.S President Donald Trump.
“If Donald Trump said he will invade Nigeria, I will welcome it with open arms because security is my priority,” Obi reportedly said.
Onanuga called the statement reckless and disrespectful to Nigeria’s sovereignty, adding that the government “will not forgive” such remarks.
The video reappeared shortly after Trump described Nigeria as a site of “Christian genocide” and allegedly instructed the Pentagon to prepare for potential action, an assertion the Nigerian government firmly denied.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa clarified that attacks in Nigeria affect people of all religious backgrounds and are not state-endorsed.
President Tinubu, during a defence briefing in Abuja, stressed his administration’s commitment to religious harmony, citing the appointment of a Christian Chief of Defence Staff and ongoing engagement with faith leaders.
Presidential adviser Daniel Bwala added that while Nigeria welcomes international cooperation, it must respect the nation’s sovereignty.
Although Obi has previously called for stronger diplomatic collaboration between Abuja and Washington, the government views his recent comments as undermining national authority, especially at a time when banditry has forced school shutdowns and denied thousands of northern children access to education.
