By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA) has criticised the previous government for handing over an “extremely” bad administration to President Bola Tinubu in 2023 but assured that efforts are underway to contain the situation.
“We inherited an extremely bad government. Things have improved. We’re addressing the issues. To do harm is easy, but to fix things takes time. We have considerably reduced the level of violence we met. This, too, we will confront,” Ribadu, an ally of former President Muhammadu Buhari, said in reference to escalating security concerns in the North Central state of Benue.
President Tinubu, who took over from Buhari—of the same political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)—had, during the campaigns that brought him to power in 2023, commended the economic and security progress of Buhari’s administration, attacking the opposition parties for highlighting the failures of eight years of APC rule.
But in August 2023, Ribadu, during an address to labour leaders, admitted that his principal inherited “a very bad situation”, pleading for more time to fix the “battered economy”.
Speaking on Tuesday during a security meeting with stakeholders at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, Ribadu, while underlining the poor security situation the administration met on the ground, commiserated with the people over the spate of killings and renewed attacks, assuring them that the Federal Government is committed to overcoming the crisis.
“We will defeat it. The entire country is with you,” Ribadu told the gathering. “I commiserate with the people of Benue and assure you that this is a trying period for all of us, but we are 100 percent with you.”
Ribadu emphasised the strategic importance of Benue State in the nation’s security architecture, adding that efforts would be intensified to ensure lasting peace in the region.
“Benue is an extremely important state to Nigeria. We must fight and maintain Benue as a peaceful state. The Governor is doing well and we will support him,” he said.
The NSA’s visit comes amid renewed concerns over insecurity in Benue State and other parts of the country, with calls for urgent and effective intervention to halt further violence.
