Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, elder statesman and former Foreign Affairs Minister, has accused some state governments of enabling terrorist operations by engaging with armed groups and failing to take decisive action against them.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday, he called for sweeping security measures including large scale military recruitment, emergency rule, military tribunals and the suspension of constitutional immunity for governors.
Akinyemi supported the call for immediate expansion of the Nigerian armed forces, stressing that current troop numbers are inadequate to confront widespread insecurity. “I agree with the need for large-scale recruitment to expand the Nigerian armed forces. The soldiers that are there now, they are overstretched… So we need to address these shortcomings,” he said. He also backed proposals to recall recently retired personnel, saying, “I also agree that those who have retired under the Armed Forces Act in the last six months should be recalled.”
Explaining his recommendation for a state of emergency and military tribunals, Akinyemi said the measures were necessary to prevent foreign intervention and to respond decisively to terrorism. “Let me say that I am motivated to make these suggestions in order to head off any practical moves by Trump… we are not just talking,” he stated. He added that, “That’s why I said we should have state of emergency. Because I am quite aware that we cannot have a military tribunal if we are having a democracy.”
He warned that terrorists are spreading across multiple regions. “These terrorists are running amok… they are in the northwest, they are in the middle belt… When do you then want to come to a conclusion that actually they have overrun the whole of the country?”
According to him, emergency powers would grant government the flexibility required to act. “And with a state of emergency, it allows the government to do things which it cannot do when you are stuck in the national assembly… You have a military tribunal which allows you to deal with the situation in a way expeditiously.”
Akinyemi also claimed many of the fighters are foreigners. “It also allows you to actually deport them from Nigeria. Because these are not Nigerians, and you know it and we know it.” He defended his suggestions against criticism, arguing that similar measures exist in other democracies. “These propositions… on the surface may look like they are anti democratic… but we need to look at what the United States is doing… go to Guantanamo Bay where they have military tribunals to deal with terrorists.”
On allegations of gubernatorial complicity, the former minister said some governors should face penalties for enabling terrorists to operate. “Yes. I depend on the news that you provide. And you see terrorists openly with their guns coming into the city to have weddings… They are entertained by government officials,” he said. He questioned how governors could claim ignorance in such circumstances. “You want to tell me that a governor who is the chief security officer of a state does not know that terrorists are operating in his state?” he asked.
Akinyemi insisted that immunity should be lifted for governors during a state of emergency. “If terrorists can openly carry weapons into your territory, and they are entertained by officials… then the government must know something about it,” he said. “That under the state of emergency, actually, you could restrict the government of its immunity… We must take this thing seriously.”
Dismissing claims that he is advocating military rule, Akinyemi argued that Nigeria must rethink its strategy. “No, I’m not trying to militarize something that shouldn’t be,” he said. He warned that persistent insecurity could invite foreign military action. “When the most powerful man in the world threatens you with his own troops… the devil is at the door knocking… we don’t want that devil to come in.”
He criticised long standing approaches to the insurgency. “For how many years have we been dealing with the terror? And it keeps expanding… If you are using the same measure… and you are not getting the results… then you ought to re embrace the way I’m going to be dealing with it.” He also dismissed negotiations with terrorists as counterproductive. “You don’t deal with terrorists by appealing to them, negotiating with them, bribing them… they use the money that you’ve paid them to go and buy more weapons.”
Akinyemi said his proposals were aimed at showing seriousness to both Nigeria and the US government. “My motive is to go ahead of Trump from sending his own troops into Nigeria by way showing him that we are deadly serious.” He noted that he directed his comments at both governments. “I was not only talking to Nigeria, I was also talking to Trump… If I talk on the phone to our President alone… I wouldn’t achieve that.”
Assessing recent security diplomacy, he acknowledged progress. “Some progress has been made… we need to continue to put that positive pressure on them.” He commended the National Security Adviser’s recent mission to Washington. “Sending a mission to the US was a right step… some of the readouts… show some positive elements. But what I would like to hear is President Trump say, I am persuaded that Nigeria is now doing the right thing.”
Akinyemi also highlighted the need for broader engagement beyond military structures. “In the last few days, the steps that he has taken… that has been a good measure,” he said of President Tinubu. “The almost constant meeting with the security forces… all these are good measures.” However, he called for expanded collaboration. “There is more engagement that is needed with the traditional rulers, with the priests and imams… Nigerians are being killed.”
On intelligence cooperation with the US, he cautioned against assumptions that it automatically implies foreign troop deployment. “No, I wouldn’t sign on to that… technologically you can gather a lot of intelligence which you wouldn’t share without having boots on the ground,” he said. But he warned that cooperation must not compromise national operations. “We’ve got to be careful… that we do not complicate even our own intelligence operations.” He added, “We can’t have that intelligence cooperation without having boots on the ground… But then that’s not the take-home message.”
The former minister maintained that Nigeria must take drastic, urgent measures to confront its deepening security crisis, arguing that anything less risks further deterioration at home and foreign intervention abroad.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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