A security and intelligence expert, Dr. Kabiru Adamu, has described President Bola Tinubu's planned visit to Benue State following the killing of over 200 people as "a political gesture" while emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive security approach.
Adamu, the Managing Director of Beacon Consulting Limited, in an interview with BenriNews on Tuesday, provided insights into the complex security situation in Benue and outlined expectations for the presidential visit.
Political Dynamics Behind the Violence
"First of all, I strongly believe it's a political gesture, and that's okay. He's a politician," Adamu stated regarding the President's visit. "It would hopefully allow the political platform to reduce the current political tension."
The security expert highlighted the existence of multiple political factions within Benue, including camps within the ruling party, tensions between the current governor's faction and that of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), as well as dynamics between the APC and PDP.
"That's breeding the violence in the state, and the visit hopefully will help reduce that tension. But more importantly, it is for the President to ensure that he puts in place an effective security approach," he added.
Six-Component Security Approach
Adamu outlined a comprehensive six-component security approach that he believes should be implemented:
The ability to detect threat elements
The ability to deny them access to communities
The ability to delay attacks if detection fails
The ability to respond effectively during attacks
The ability to review incidents dispassionately
The ability to recover after incidents
"I'm hoping he will direct the security leadership to come up with [this approach], together with the governor of the state, so that we will prevent recurrence. If that is not done, then, unfortunately, this visit will just be a political visit, without achieving this security component," Adamu warned.
Missed Opportunities in Crisis Response
The security expert criticized the government's response to the tragedy, pointing out what he called a "missed opportunity" to convene the National Security Council.
"If this had happened in the UK, the prime minister would have convened the Cobra and he would have discussed the issue and together with the security team, worked out a strategy for identifying the perpetrators and punishing them," he explained.
"Over 100 people were killed. We did not convene the National Security Council, neither had a strategy been put up to develop them – all we've seen is visits upon visit," Adamu lamented.
Beyond Herder-Farmer Narrative
Adamu supported President Tinubu's call for reconciliation, noting that the situation is more complex than commonly portrayed. "The general assumption out there is that it is so-called Fulani herdsmen that are behind the killings in Benue state. But the President knows, and those of us in intelligence know that the threat elements in Benue state, beyond the so-called Fulani herdsmen, there are Jukun militias, there are Tiv militias, there are criminal gangs, there are political thugs that have been armed."
He emphasized that the crisis has multiple dimensions: "The issue is political. It has to be addressed using political interventions. But beyond the political interventions are also the socio-economic [factors]."
Adamu highlighted Benue's economic challenges despite being the "food basket of the country," noting its low industrialization and high youth unemployment. He also mentioned climate change and gender components as factors driving the conflict.
Worsening National Security Situation
When asked about the overall security situation in Nigeria, Adamu confirmed it is deteriorating. "When we tallied the fatalities for the last two years of President Muhammadu Buhari and then the first two years of President Bola Tinubu, as of May 2025 about 17,000 Nigerians have been killed. The last two years of President Buhari – 2022 into 2023 – about 18,000 people died."
He expressed particular concern about kidnappings: "The rate of abduction has increased astronomically. The percentage is about 49% within the last two years of Buhari and the first two years of President Tinubu. Kidnapping for ransom is increasing."
Call for Accountability
Adamu emphasized the need for accountability in the security sector. "At the moment, our public security departments are not holding them accountable enough, and I'm hoping that as we go forward, we'll increase the accountability. Let people who allow killings to occur, like in the case of Benue, let them be held accountable."
He questioned the effectiveness of Nigeria's security spending: "If you look at the security budget, which is around 6 trillion naira, more than any other sector at the moment, why should we be spending that amount of money on security agencies? And yet we are not getting the kind of results."
In his final words, Adamu urged political leaders to prioritize public safety over political ambitions: "Life is sacrosanct, and this is not time for politics. We need to jettison any politicking for 2027 at the moment. Let's address our security concerns through the solutions that I've just mentioned."
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