Akpabio Claims Enemies of Tinubu Fueling Insecurity to Harm Democracy

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has claimed that the rising insecurity in Nigeria is being funded by enemies of President Bola Tinubu. These enemies do not want Nigeria's democracy to succeed.

Mr Akpabio made this statement in Abuja on Saturday during the public launch of three books in honor of former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar. This event was part of the celebration for Mr Abubakar's 84th birthday. One of the books presented is Mr Abubakar's autobiography.

Mr Abubakar, a retired army general, became Nigeria's Head of State in June 1998 after the death of Sani Abacha. Abacha ruled the country from 1993 until his death in 1998.

Less than a year after taking office, Mr Abubakar oversaw a transition program that led to the handover of power to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on 29 May 1999. This transition started Nigeria's current democratic period, which has lasted for over twenty years without interruption.

After leaving public office, Mr Abubakar became an elder statesman and diplomat. He has worked in various peace-building roles across Africa, including tasks for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Currently, he chairs Nigeria's National Peace Committee. This committee helps to create peace agreements among political leaders during elections and pushes for peaceful behavior before, during, and after elections.

At the event, Mr Akpabio praised Mr Abubakar for his role in promoting democracy. He assured him that the current government and security forces are working hard to tackle the country's security issues.

"I must say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is grappling with a lot of enemies of progress, of what you left behind. Today, many are sponsoring insecurity in our country to paint our democracy in a bad light. But I can tell you that with the determination of men and women in uniform, that the enemies we see today, we shall see them no more," he said.

Mr Akpabio expressed belief that the government will defeat both terrorism and poverty in Nigeria.

"You can imagine in a country where a child will stand up to kill the father because of Tramadol and because of all sorts of… I don’t know how to put it. But I can tell you, no matter the insecurity we see today, with men like you, the example you have left behind, we will definitely defeat terrorism. We will defeat poverty in this country. And Nigeria will take its rightful place in the global community."

The Senate President noted that members of the National Assembly benefit from the democratic foundation laid by Mr Abubakar. He assured him that his contributions to the country will not be forgotten.

Mr Akpabio's comments come as Nigeria's security situation worsens. This is despite President Tinubu's repeated promises that his government is making progress against insecurity.

Since Mr Tinubu took office in May 2023, many areas in Nigeria have experienced attacks by armed groups, including terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and violent criminals. The violence has been especially bad in Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Borno, and parts of the North-central region.

The global human rights group, Amnesty International, reported in May 2025 that at least 10,217 people were killed in attacks by armed groups during the first two years of the Tinubu administration.

The report indicated that Benue and Plateau states had the highest number of casualties. Amnesty also noted that many communities were displaced and several villages were taken over by armed groups.

Kidnapping for ransom remains a big problem. A report by SBM Intelligence recorded 4,722 abductions across Nigeria from July 2024 to June 2025. Families and communities paid at least N2.57 billion in ransom to free victims. The report described kidnapping as a growing money-making crime due to weak law enforcement and economic struggles.

Several mass abductions have happened during the current administration, including attacks on schools, roads, and rural areas. Farmers in many regions have also said they cannot access their farms because of ongoing attacks by bandits and armed groups.