Nigeria Presidency Obasanjo Remarks have drawn a sharp reaction from the government after comments attributed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo suggested that Nigeria should rely on foreign nations to help stabilise its security challenges. The Presidency rejected the advice, calling it misleading, unnecessary, and unbecoming of a former leader who failed to curb extremism when it first began taking root in the country.
In a statement issued on X, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication, Sunday Dare, stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not hand over Nigeria’s internal security responsibilities to any foreign power. According to him, the country is currently confronting a form of full-spectrum terrorism that requires unity and a collective national response, not public criticisms that weaken confidence.
Dare argued that Obasanjo’s position reflected selective memory, reminding Nigerians that the ideological framework and first operational structures of Boko Haram took shape during the former President’s civilian administration. He said extremist camps were allowed to grow, organise and recruit while Obasanjo was in office, a failure that laid the foundation for today’s security challenges. The Presidency maintained that someone who overlooked the early stages of terrorism cannot now lecture the nation on how to address it.
The statement pointed out that Nigeria now faces a sophisticated terror ecosystem made up of ISIS-linked groups, al-Qaeda affiliates, Sahel-based extremist networks and local violent gangs operating as bandits. Many of these groups share intelligence, logistics, weapons and ideological support, forming a transnational threat designed to destabilise the Nigerian state.
According to the government, reducing the severity of the situation or questioning Nigeria’s capabilities only empowers these groups psychologically. President Tinubu’s security strategy is described as a whole-of-government approach that blends military force with non-kinetic programmes. This includes strengthening intelligence operations, upgrading military assets, restoring governance in underserved areas, stabilising vulnerable communities and expanding counter-radicalisation efforts.
Dare explained that Tinubu is addressing terrorism through practical steps rather than rhetoric, focusing on closing ungoverned spaces and preventing insurgents from exploiting local communities. While acknowledging the value of international cooperation, the Presidency insisted that Nigeria will never hand over its security management to another country.
The statement emphasised that what Nigeria needs is solidarity, not divisive commentary. It urged former leaders to support ongoing reforms instead of making remarks that undermine morale. The Presidency added that those who allowed terrorism to gain a foothold in the past should not attempt to rewrite history today.
The response concluded by calling on all Nigerians, especially past leaders, to stand behind the current national security strategy rather than providing extremists with morale-boosting narratives through careless and unhelpful statements.
