Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the military leadership for what it described as a complete failure to implement a winning strategy in the fight against terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
HURIWA particularly expressed outrage over the recent developments in Zamfara and Niger states, where terrorists have not only continued to terrorize local communities but also capture military hardware, further exposing the weaknesses in Nigeria’s security apparatus.
The rights group particularly noted President Tinubu’s decision to send a delegation led by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to Sokoto as part of efforts to address banditry and terrorism in the North West.
It dismissed the move as mere political posturing that failed to address the root causes of insecurity or provide a concrete strategy for victory.
HURIWA in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, questioned the effectiveness of dispatching high-profile government officials to Sokoto without a clear, actionable plan.
Onwubiko said that sending a minister or the CDS to Sokoto is not a strategy but, a political stunt, saying; “Are these officials going to lead troops into battle? Are they going to dismantle terrorist networks themselves?
“This is not what Nigerians expect from their leaders. Nigerians want a real, winning strategy—something the current administration and military chiefs have failed to deliver,” he said.
HURIWA noted that the politicization of key appointments and incompetence at the highest level of the military were the underlying reasons for what it described as the persistent failure in the fight against terrorism, adding that the President, possibly due to ethnic considerations or political patronage, has refused to appoint the most competent Generals to lead the nation’s armed forces.
In the words of HURIWA; “There is no excuse for the President to continue appointing incompetent military leaders when there are qualified generals across various ethnic groups who can lead this country out of the security quagmire.
“The continued reliance on generals who lack the strategic acumen to defeat these terrorists is not only frustrating but dangerous for the country,” it said.
HURIWA said the recent events in Zamfara State, where terrorists led by Bello Turji were seen celebrating the capture of an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) belonging to the Nigerian Army which the military said it got stuck in a marshy area, forcing troops to abandon it temporarily but, for which the terrorists boasted that they captured, has further demoralized both the military and the general populace.
It said; “How can a country continue to fight terrorism for over a decade without any sign of victory? Some top Generals in the military are using the counter-terrorism war as a multi-billion naira franchise for themselves. There is no other explanation for the continuous failures we are witnessing.
“The President must put aside political considerations and appoint leaders based on merit if he truly wants to see an end to this crisis,” HURIWA said.
HURIWA also expressed deep concern over the failure of Nigeria’s intelligence community to monitor and intercept terrorist communications effectively, adding that despite the significant resources allocated to intelligence and security agencies, they have been unable to detect and disrupt terrorist networks operating within the country.
Citing a recent report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence, HURIWA highlighted the grim reality that over 1,056 Nigerians were killed in kidnap-related incidents between July 2023 and June 2024, while kidnappers demanded an astounding N10.9 billion in ransom during the same period.
It criticized the government’s lack of a comprehensive strategy to combat these crimes, which have become increasingly brazen and widespread.
HURIWA said; “It is beyond comprehension that terrorists can communicate openly and plan their attacks without being intercepted by our intelligence agencies. The same terrorists are now taunting the Nigerian government on social media, yet the security forces seem powerless to stop them.
“What is the use of linking National Identification Numbers (NIN) to mobile networks if the intelligence community cannot use this data to track and neutralize these threats?” it asked.
