Plateau Massacre Raises Concerns Over Tinubu’s Security Promises

Plateau State witnessed a horrifying massacre claiming the lives of over a hundred people, casting doubt on President Bola Tinubu’s campaign promises to enhance national security.

Approximately seven months into Tinubu’s administration, assailants targeted around 20 communities in Plateau, leaving a trail of bodies and bloodshed. This incident follows closely on the heels of the Tundun Biri bombing by the Nigerian Army, resulting in over 126 civilian casualties.

Examination of President Tinubu’s campaign promises, outlined in his Renewed Hope Agenda, reveals a stark disparity between commitments and actions. Despite early moves to demilitarize entities overseeing the military sector, including appointing civilians like Abubakar Badaru and Bello Matawalle as Ministers of Defence, and Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser, the wave of killings persists.

Shedding light on the grim statistics, data from the Council on Foreign Relations’ Nigeria Security Tracker (NST) indicates that non-state actors claimed 587 lives within the first 45 days of Tinubu’s presidency.

A tweet from 2014 resurfaced, where Tinubu criticized the Goodluck Jonathan administration’s handling of security, adding irony to the current situation. Tinubu, who launched his campaign in Jos, emphasized a commitment to combating terrorism and violent crimes, yet the recent events question the efficacy of these pledges.

The Renewed Hope manifesto pledged to establish state police tailored to each state’s needs, working collaboratively with state governments and the National Assembly. However, there’s no evidence of any executive bill forwarded to the National Assembly for State or Community Police, as promised.

Another unfulfilled promise revolves around the utilization of intelligence in warfare. Despite vowing a proactive and intelligence-driven security approach, the aftermath of the Tudun Biri bombing revealed a significant lapse in intelligence gathering, according to commentators and a member of the House of Representatives.

Tinubu’s commitment to creating “Anti-terror battalions” with special forces units to combat terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits remains unmet. Additionally, the pledge to transfer VIP security duties from the police to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has not materialized, as police are still observed performing such tasks.

As Plateau mourns and the nation grapples with escalating insecurity, a critical review of the administration’s actions underscores a widening gap between promises made and the reality on the ground.