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The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-West), Abdulillahi Yakassai, says Nigeria’s ongoing insecurity is troubling President Bola Tinubu and keeping him awake at night as he works to find lasting solutions.
Yakassai disclosed this on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he spoke about the government’s efforts to tackle security challenges across the country.
According to him, the president remains deeply concerned about the situation and holds regular meetings with security chiefs to address emerging threats.
“The security situation in some parts of the country has really been subdued, but there are some elements of new tactics coming up, like the one we see in Kwara State—very unfortunate,” Yakassai said.
“Even the president is having sleepless nights because every week you see him having a security council meeting in the Presidential Villa to see how to address this insecurity,” he added.
His remarks come amid growing concern about the nationwide security situation, which many observers believe has deteriorated under the present administration.
However, the presidential aide maintained that tackling insurgency has become increasingly difficult due to insurgents’ adoption of guerrilla tactics.
“It’s very hard to tackle. We have come from a long-time crisis, and it has been happening, and you can’t just blame this government for it,” he said.
“You wouldn’t know where they come from, and I’m telling you there is a hand in this kind of insecurity issue. We cannot just say it is a coordinated insecurity situation.
“There are some elements that are against this government that are instigating this kind of insecurity situation just to give the new government a bad name,” he added.
Further speaking, Yakassai pointed to certain states where, according to him, insecurity has declined significantly.
“Some places where we know there was massive insecurity, like between Abuja and Kaduna, have really subsided. Now we don’t see that insecurity challenge in those areas, and then in Zamfara State, hardly do you hear these days that there is that insecurity.
“But they have changed tactics just because it’s guerrilla warfare, just like I said, and now they have moved away from those areas to Niger State, Kwara State, and immediately Mr President appointed the IG of Police, his first point of call was to go to Kwara State and as far as Kaiama, where those things are happening.”
He nevertheless stressed that the government remains committed to ending the menace.
“But we know a lot needs to be done to curb this insecurity, and I believe with time, by God’s grace, if all hands are put on deck, it will continue to come down till we get to eliminate the insecurity situation,” he added.
