Dalung Blasts Tinubu's Administration Over Insecurity, Alleges Lack of Political Will

Solomon Dalung, the former Minister of Sports, has strongly criticized the Bola Tinubu-led administration for its handling of Nigeria's worsening insecurity. In a recent appearance on Arise TV's Morning Show, Dalung expressed his disappointment with the government's approach to addressing the growing threat of terrorism and kidnappings. He pointed out that the government has the capability to track down critics within minutes, but it lacks the political will to confront the real security challenges facing the country. Dalung noted that the government's focus on 2027 politics is taking precedence over the need to protect the lives of Nigerians. 'The government seems not to have the political will to deal with insecurity. They have all the gadgets to track anybody who criticizes the government — they can pick him up in the next five minutes. But they don't have the equipment to track terrorists who display huge phones in the forest, behead teachers, abduct schoolchildren, torture them in the forest, produce videos, and send,' he said. The former minister also dismissed the Information Minister's recent call for unity against terrorism, describing it as a sign of the government's failure to address the issue. 'I think it's a statement confirming that the federal government has completely and woefully failed. They don't seem to have any idea of a solution to the ravaging insecurity that is across the country,' he said. Dalung further emphasized that the security architecture in Nigeria is fragmented, with different agencies working in isolation rather than as a coordinated force. He warned that terrorists are now operating a 'parallel forest economy,' sustaining themselves independently of the state. Dalung questioned the role of foreign military involvement in addressing Nigeria's insecurity, saying, 'We were told that the Americans are here with us. If the Americans are here with us, what have they been doing? We have not felt their impact.' He urged the government to empower communities to defend themselves, rather than relying on reassurances. On the political front, Dalung noted that Nigeria has returned to regional power blocs, with different zones having their own presidential candidates. He warned of electoral uncertainty ahead of the 2027 elections. 'Nigeria has returned to the politics of the First Republic, where regions now have their political parties. Almost all the zones have presidential candidates. So ultimately, in 2027, we may be facing serious confusion as we advance towards the election,' he said. Dalung also described President Tinubu's three-year performance as disappointing, accusing the administration of rhetoric without impact. 'Three years into his tenure, it is just a blame game and rhetorics of reforms — reforms that no single iota of the benefit has trickled down. Rather, Nigerians are getting impoverished daily. The economy is in doldrums. Insecurity remains rhetorical,' he said. In response to Dalung's criticism, political scientist Obafemi George defended the administration, arguing that it deserves time and pointing to economic indicators as evidence of progress. He cited a sovereign credit rating upgrade by Standard & Poor's from B- to B as proof of stabilization and linked rising insecurity to regional instability following the withdrawal of French forces from the Sahel. 'This current administration has confronted insecurity that is higher than the previous administration, spent more, and recorded more successes in combating insecurity,' he said, referencing rescue operations in Goza and Katsina. George argued that national development cannot be achieved quickly and that structural reforms take time, citing global comparisons. 'I ask people to give me one example of a country in a modern era that has transitioned from being a poor country to a prosperous country in 36 months,' he said, referencing China's long-term reforms, Rwanda's development trajectory under Paul Kagame, and Dubai's multi-decade transformation. 'One of the things that we are going through that is causing our current pain is because some sacrifices that were meant to have been done years ago weren't done,' he added. George also referenced former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's warning that Nigeria was 'broke' and said earlier removal of fuel subsidy would have prevented today's economic strain, arguing that current reforms are aimed at long-term stability.